Casualties of War

The “fall” in Journey From the Fall refers to the collapse of Saigon after the U.S. pulled out of Vietnam in 1975. The film, written and directed by second-generation Vietnamese American Ham Tran, chronicles one family’s struggle to leave their torn homeland and start a new life in America. But after the father -- a former officer in the South Vietnamese army -- becomes separated from his wife, son, and mother, each begins an expedition that takes some horrific turns. The dad ends up in a re-education camp, where captives spend their days combing cornfields for leftover mines. The rest of the clan’s harrowing escape entails life-threatening illness, brutal weather, and deadly pirates. The movie jumps around chronologically, juxtaposing scenes from 1975 through 1981. It’s a grand epic told in an old-fashioned style (complete with breathtaking cinematography and a sweeping score). It’s also a heartbreaking tale of survival and adaptation.
Sat., May 26, 7 p.m.; Sun., May 27, 7 p.m.