THE DALLAS DEBUT OF OPERATION BABYLIFT: THE LOST CHILDREN OF VIETNAM
TO BE PRESENTED AT FILMASIAFEST
DALLAS, TX – Locally based non-profit ATG Against the Grain Productions will present the Dallas debut of Operation Babylift: The Lost Children of Vietnam at the inaugural filmAsiafest on Friday, September 25th at 7:00 p.m. at the Dallas Museum of Art. The award-winning documentary described as “Amazing…compelling and hard hitting,” by Bolsavik.com plays from 7:00 – 9:00 p.m., followed by a Q&A with the producing team. An added element that evening is a charity reception, Cocktails for a Cause, hosted immediately after the screening at the Dallas Center for Architecture, with guest musical performances by Mina Chang and cast member Jared Rehberg, along with a one-night only exhibit of the work of established and emerging Asian American photographers from around the country. Several pieces will be on auction to benefit orphanages in Vietnam.
Operation Babylift: The Lost Children of Vietnam tells the significant, yet untold story of the $2 million U.S. initiative that airlifted over 2,500 Vietnamese orphans out of a war-torn country from the impending threat of the Communist regime. These adoptees grew up facing unique challenges in America, including prejudice overshadowed by a controversial war and cultural identity crisis. Featuring compelling and insightful interviews of the volunteers, parents, and organizations directly involved, the documentary takes a contemporary look at Operation Babylift and its relevance to international adoption today.
“FilmAsiafest is honored to present the Dallas premiere of Operation Babylift by a local filmmaker, Tammy Nguyen Lee,” said Chiho Mori, Director of filmAsia, a new film initiative created by the Crow Collection of Asian Art. “Operation Babylift exemplifies the shared goals of filmAsia and the Crow Collection, which is preserving and promoting the arts and cultures of Asia. We believe that film is an accessible art form that brings people together to experience the artistic diversity of Asia. It is our hope that this program will promote and support the filmmakers of today, as well as those of tomorrow, such as Tammy.”
Dallas-based filmmaker Tammy Nguyen Lee, an SMU alum and graduate from UCLA’s Producers Program, is proud to share the passion project that took nearly four years to produce. “This has been a long time coming. I’m thrilled to partner with filmAsia to finally bring this project to my hometown.” Cast member Jared Rehberg, also an Associate Producer on the project, added, “It’s an honor to be part of this special event. This film is so close and dear to my heart. I look forward to sharing our stories from Operation Babylift.”
Tickets to the screening will be sold online starting late August. Tickets to Cocktails for a Cause are available at www.AgainstTheGrainProductions.com. ATG Against the Grain Productions is a 501(c)(3) non profit organization dedicated to promoting Asian American cultural awareness through compelling media projects, while also raising funds for international orphanages. For more information please visit www.AgainstTheGrainProductions.com.
