ABOUT THE DOCUMENTARY
Standup comedian Fred Le hears the stories of a diverse range of young overseas-born Vietnamese who made their way back to the land that their parents left following the end of the Vietnam War. The Empathizer explores identity and the impact of trauma among Việt Kiều who grew up a generation removed from tragic events of the past.
Between 1975 and 1995 around 2,000,000 Vietnamese fled the country. In 2015, there were a reported 12,000 Việt Kiều (overseas-born Vietnamese) who “returned” to the former capital of Saigon, with hundreds more migrating every year seeking opportunity, escape, or info about their heritage.
SYNOPSIS
Shot over two weeks in Saigon and Hanoi, The Empathizer is a feature length documentary featuring over twenty millennial-aged Việt Kiều sharing their journeys back to Vietnam and the ripples that their reverse immigration may have caused among their families. The project takes a look at the effects of wartime trauma through the eyes of the children of refugees, a generation removed from the events which led to their parents’ escape from Vietnam yet deeply shaped by the circumstances of their birth.
MEET THE FILMMAKERS
Fred Le
Director, Producer
Fred is a graduate of the Film & Digital Media program at UC Santa Cruz. In Vietnam he served as the original host of the VTV International program Vietnam A-Z.
He currently performs and produces standup all over California and has earned invites to perform at prestigious festivals including San Francisco Sketchfest, Treefort, and Boom Chicago in Amsterdam.
In 2022 he co-created the popular all-Vietnamese comedy showcase Embarrassed by Night.
Bret
Hamilton
Cinematographer, Co-Director
Bret is a documentary director of photography based in Los Angeles. Bret also lived in Vietnam during the same period as Fred, where he developed a deep affection for the culture and community in Vietnam while working as a documentarian for a variety of media outlets including one of the top online food and travel channels: Best Ever Food Review Show.
More recently, Bret has partnered with brands like Rolling Stone magazine, Showtime and Salesforce to capture engaging stories for their global audiences.
Hak Lonh
Editor, Producer
Hak Lonh, a graduate of the Academy of Art University in San Francisco, is a versatile filmmaker whose career began as a freelance editor with renowned ad agencies like Chiat Day, Wieden Kennedy, and 180 LA. His editing expertise contributed to groundbreaking campaigns for brands such as Apple, Sony Playstation, Nike, Microsoft, and Nutella, as well as music videos for artists like Adele, Snoop Dogg, and Ryan Adams.
Notable collaborations include serving as an additional editor on I’m Still Here, featuring Oscar-nominated actor Joaquin Phoenix and directed by Casey Affleck. Hak has also worked alongside esteemed directors including Irvin Kershner (Empire Strikes Back), Joe Kosinski (Tron 2), and Kenneth Lonergan (You Can Count On Me).
CONTACT US