In war saga 'The Sympathizer,' Vietnamese voices are no longer stuck in the background
by Terry Tang
Apr 15, 2024
3 minutes
Vietnamese journalist-turned-filmmaker Phanxinê remembers exactly when he decided to make movies in his native country rather than Hollywood.
It was in 2008 but it could have been a satirical scene out of the Vietnam Era-novel “The Sympathizer.” Someone from a movie studio visiting his University of Southern California film class told him his story pitch about a Vietnamese American woman traveling the U.S. would only work if the heroine was white.
Having a white star would give the film “a broader audience,” Phanxinê recounts being told.
“It is the moment I realized that if I
You’re reading a preview, subscribe to read more.
Start your free 30 days