The hard-hitting Viet teen angst movie Dust of Life (in Vietnamese: Bụi Đời) opens tonight with a charity fundraising screening, followed by wide release in 4 cities.
The first showing tonight, 7pm at the Star Performing Arts Center in Fountain Valley, will be a fundraiser for the Vietnamese American Cancer Foundation and Project MotiVATe. All proceeds from the screening will go to these two community service organizations.
Following tonight’s premiere, the film will begin screening in Orange County, San Jose, Houston, and Falls Church, Virginia. See listing at the end of this entry.
The feature film debut by Le-Van Kiet, Dust of Life world-premiered as the Closing Film at the 2007 Vietnamese International Film Festival (ViFF). The story goes that Nghiem-Minh Nguyen-Vo, the director of Buffalo Boy, was so enthralled with Dust of Life, he talked the festival organizers into giving the film that coveted closing slot. 
(That’s Le-Van Kiet, left in photo, with Nghiem-Minh Nguyen-Vo at the 2007 ViFF.)
The film is a coming-of-age story of abandoned kids growing up in the Vietnamese enclave of Orange County in the early 1990′s, at a time when most parents were so busy rebuilding their lives in the new country that little attention was paid to the kids. Seeking acceptance and a sense of belonging, these kids formed gangs and did things that they shouldn’t have.
With the main characters played by first-time actors, the film still portrays young teens convincingly. All actors have other jobs (D.J., lawyer, real estate agent, etc.) but onscreen, they act just like gangsters, prompting at least one audience member at ViFF to ask the Bolsavik, “Wonder how Kiet got the gangs to go along.”
The film follows a displaced juvenile named Johnny (Devon Duy Nguyen), who had lost both of his parents in the Boat People exodus. Growing up in America and raised by his older sister (Linh Le), Johnny quickly finds the harsh reality of assimilation when his choices are limited.
Despite misgivings by his girlfriend Mai (Thu-Mai Tran), Johnny began hanging around his street friend Rascal (England DuVan) and his gang. His relationship with the street kids becomes more perilous. As hope seems more distant than ever, a compassionate Catholic priest (Liem Michael Doan, in a rather sappy and mushy role) tries to help him do the right thing in the present, but the help may be too late.
“Personally, I think Dust of Life illustrates a piece of our history,” said Dr. Bich-Lien Nguyen, VACF Board of Directors. “I’m glad that the story is being told so that hopefully we can learn from the experience.”
Following is the screening schedule.
PREMIERE NIGHT:
Friday, November 6, 2009, 7PM
Star Performing Arts Center
16149 Brookhurst St. Fountain Valley, CA
REGULAR SHOWING INFORMATION:
Orange County – Fountain Valley, CA
Starts Saturday November 7, 2009
Star Performing Arts Center – Tel: (714) 531-8500
16149 Brookhurst St. Fountain Valley, CA
Monday-Friday: 5, 7, 9pm;
Saturday-Sunday: 12, 2, 4, 6, 8, 10pm
San Jose, CA
Starts Friday November 13, 2009
Camera 3 Cinema – Tel: (408) 998-3300
288 S 2nd St, San Jose, CA 95113
Houston, TX
Starts Friday November 13, 2009
FunPlex – Tel: (281) 530-7777
13700 Beechnut St. Houston, TX 77083
Falls Church , VA
Starts Friday November 20, 2009
Loehman’s Twin Cinemas – Tel: (703) 573-5774
7291 Arlington Blvd , Falls Church , VA 22042
