Tag: filmAsiafest

OPERATION BABYLIFT: THE LOST CHILDREN OF VIETNAM Debuts to Packed House at Dallas FilmAsia Fest

DALLAS, TX – Locally based non-profit ATG Against the Grain Productions debuted Operation Babylift: The Lost Children of Vietnam in front of a standing room only crowd at the Dallas Museum of Art’s Horchow Auditorium during the inaugural filmAsiafest on Friday, September 25th.  The feature documentary, described as “amazing…compelling and hard hitting” by Bosavik.com, details the 1975 United States airlift of over 2,500 Vietnamese orphans during the tumultuous time leading up to the Fall of Saigon.

The documentary’s Producer/Director Tammy Nguyen Lee said: It was such an amazing experience to share this film in my hometown with friends and loved ones who have supported and stood by me for so many years. I’m grateful to filmAsia for the opportunity to let others know about this truly universal story as well. This is a night I’ll never forget.

In addition to Ms. Lee, many cast and crew members were also in attendance, including George Lee (Executive Producer), Jared Rehberg (Associate Producer, adoptee), Jessica Schoenbaechler (Associate Producer),  Jim Zimmerly (crash survivor), Mary Nelle Gage (Friends For All Children volunteer), Chris Tonick (editor) and Seth Pascale (editor).

Operation Babylift screened as part of filmAsia, a new film initiative created by the Trammell Crow Collection of Asian Art.  Chiho Mori, Director of filmAsia said, “FilmAsiafest was thrilled to showcase Dallas premier of Tammy’s directorial debut film. Crow Collection’s filmAsia program is in part about supporting local talent like Tammy. We know that this is just the beginning for Tammy. We are confident that she will continue to create great films.”

Operation Babylift: The Lost Children of Vietnam tells the significant yet untold story of the $2 million dollar US initiative that airlifted over 2,500 Vietnamese orphans out of a war-torn country to protect them 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 movie takes a contemporary look at Babylift and its relevance to international adoption today.  The feature documentary was a passionate team effort that took over 4 years to produce and is currently making its way through the film festival circuit. For more information, please visit www.TheBabylift.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.

Dallas premiere of "Operation Babylift"
Dallas premiere of "Operation Babylift"

To view pictures from the screening and Cocktails for a Cause, click here.

Operation Babylift in Pegasus News!

Operation Babylift: The Lost Children of Vietnam and ATG  graces the pages of yet another article in Pegasus News in Dalllas. You check out the original article here! Thank you Pegasus!

Monday, September 14, 2009

Operation Babylift: The Lost Children of Vietnam celebrates its Dallas premiere on Sept. 25

BY JOHN P. MEYER

Having already taken the Audience Choice Award from the 2009 Vietnamese International Film Festival (and been selected for a range of other festivals around the globe), Operation Babylift: The Lost Children of Vietnam will be making its first appearance before North Texas audiences on Friday, Sept. 25 at the Horchow Auditorium in the Dallas Museum of Art.

Dallas Premiere: “Operation Babylift: The Lost Children of Vietnam”

  • When: Friday, Sept. 25, 2009, 7 p.m. to 9 p.m.
  • Where: Dallas Museum of Art (DMA), 1717 North Harwood Street, Dallas
  • Cost: $7 – $10
  • Age limit: Not available

Filmmaker Tammy Nguyen Lee, founder of Against the Grain Productions and advisory committee member for Women In Film.Dallas, will be on hand after the screening to host a question/answer session for attendees.

In 1975, Ross Meador was a long-haired hippie volunteer for Friends of Children of Vietnam; here's what he looks like today with his family.

In 1975, Ross Meador was a long-haired hippie volunteer for Friends of Children of Vietnam; here’s what he looks like today with his family.

During the closing days of the Vietnam War, then-President Gerald Ford approved an initiative to airlift 2,500 Vietnamese orphans out of the country in advance of the communist takeover. Nguyen Lee’s 72-minute documentary deals with the lives of some of the volunteers, parents, and organizations directly involved in this operation, and gets up close and personal with some of the “lost children” 35 years after the fact.

The music used in the film is contributed by Asian American artists such as Jared Rehberg and Thomas’ Apartment.

The film screening is hosted by filmAsiafest and presented by the Dallas Film Society. Tickets are $7 for members and students, and $10 for non-members.Click here to register for this reservations-only event, or call 214-979-6438.

Only Two More Weeks!

One of the most anticipated events the ATG team has coming up is in exactly TWO WEEKS! The Dallas premiere of “Operation Babylift: The Lost Children of Vietnam” and our 2nd Annual Cocktails for a Cause charity reception are all happening on the same evening of Friday, September 25th!

Cocktails_09_Flier-1

Don’t miss the film that won the Audience Choice Award at this year’s Vietnamese International Film Festival and what Bolksavik.com calls “an amazing documentary…hard-hitting and compelling.”
Hosted by filmAsiafest &
presented by The Dallas Film Society
7:00 pm
Friday, September 25th
Dallas Museum of Art – Horchow Auditorium
1717 N. Harwood St.
Dallas, TX 75201
A Q&A with filmmaker Tammy Nguyen Lee will follow, with several of the cast/crew in attendance.
Tickets are $7 for members/students and $10 for non-members. Hurry and get your tickets here or call (214) 979-6438.

Don’t miss the film that won the Audience Choice Award at this year’s Vietnamese International Film Festival and what Bolksavik.com calls “an amazing documentary…hard-hitting and compelling.”

Hosted by filmAsiafest and presented by The Dallas Film Society

7:00 pm

Friday, September 25th

Dallas Museum of Art – Horchow Auditorium

1717 N. Harwood St.

Dallas, TX 75201

A Q&A with filmmaker Tammy Nguyen Lee will follow, with several of the cast/crew in attendance.

Tickets are $7 for members/students and $10 for non-members. Hurry and get your tickets here or call (214) 979-6438.

Continue the festivities from 9:30-11:30 pm just across the highway at the Dallas Center for Architecture for the 2nd annual Cocktails for a Cause, a charity fundraiser benefiting ATG’s community outreach, education initiatives and needy orphanages in Vietnam.

Your admission includes tasty sips and sweets, musical entertainment by Jared Rehberg, Mina Chang and DJ Prada G, plus a one-night-only exhibit and auction of work by up-and-coming Asian American photographers.  For all you art collectors, this is your chance to bring home a gorgeous, original piece of art and support the following artists:

* David Ayala
* Andrew Chan
* Van Ditthavong
* Leon Le
* Alex Lim
* David Loi & Chi Tran
* Tem Juarez
* Budi Tjoenawan
* Jin-Ya Huang
* Susan Sponsler

As a bonus, all paid guests will receive a chance to win the following fantastic  door prizes:

* Shopping party with hors d’oeuvres and wine (valued at $250) from The Blues Jean Bar  and $50 gift cards for 10 guests

* $50 gift certificate to Dallas Affaires Bakery

* Gift cards and dresses from Freedom Parc

* Consultation with HGTV Design Star Finalist Jany Lee

* One-hour session from Opulens Photography

* $300 in gift certificates from Saigon Block restaurant

* Earrings from West 10 Jewelry


Entrance is $10 for screening guests, (half off discount), $20 regular (through midnight September 24th) and $25 at the door (as available, cash/check accepted only). Make sure to also remember to buy your tickets for Cocktails here before space runs out!

See you all there!

Dallas Debut of OPERATION BABYLIFT: THE LOST CHILDREN OF VIETNAM

OB poster 4

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.