The film by Japanese director Masako Sakata depicts the daily life of Tran Thi Hoan, a young woman born without legs and one of her hands as her mother had been exposed to the toxic chemical in a field during her pregnancy. It also features the difficulty of many other AO victims and a court battle in France by a former journalist against US chemical firms that manufactured AO used in the war.
Sakata went to Vietnam in 2004 to learn about the consequences of the toxic chemical and made the first film on the matter.
Her husband died nearly two decades ago as a result of his exposure to the AO during military service in Vietnam.
Sakata has made two documentaries on AO, My Personal Requiem in 2007 and Living the Silent Spring in 2011, which have been shown in many countries such as the US, France, Japan, and Canada.
My Personal Requiem showed the debilitating effects of the toxic chemical on the human body that lasts for generations and how the Vietnamese have struggled to support victims. The film won several prizes, including the Mainichi documentary film award, the Paris International Environment Film Festival’s Special Prize, and the Earth Vision special jury award.
Living the Silent Spring is about the dangers chemical agents pose to humanity. In it, children of war veterans and their struggles with disability are explored, according to The Mainichi newspaper.
Sakata established the “Seeds of Hope” project to provide hundreds of scholarships to Vietnamese high school and university students who are AO victims.
In 2017, she received a Friendship Order from the President in recognition of her contribution to the movement “Action for the victims of Agent Orange in Vietnam”.
Bac Lieu presents gifts for Agent Orange/dioxin victims
The My Lai Peace Foundation and the Associations for Victims of Agent Orange (AO)/ Dioxin of Bac Lieu and Ca Mau provinces presented 15 houses to AO/ Dioxin victims and 90 bicycles to disadvantaged students of Bac Lieu, Hau Giang and Ca Mau provinces on June 3.
Vietnamese man with facial disfigurement keeps on smiling, feeding birds
Le Huu Hien always keeps a smile on his face and helps those who are less fortunate than him even though he often finds himself on the receiving end of inquisitive or condescending stares on the streets, as he peddles lottery tickets for a living in Vinh Long Province in the Mekong Delta of Vietnam.
Surviving Agent Orange: The story of Tran Thi Hoan
Thirty-five-year-old Tran Thi Hoan has overcome the physical disabilities brought about by her mother’s exposure to Agent Orange and now thrives as a technician at a hospital in Ho Chi Minh City where she happily shares her love for life with those around her.
Exhibition highlights AO/dioxin pain, lawsuit
NDO – An exhibition named “AO/dioxin lawsuit – one plaintiff, millions of victims” is being held by the Tre (Youth) Publishing House, Tuoi Tre (Youth) Newspaper and Duong Sach Co., Ltd. in Ho Chi Minh City, and is taking place on Nguyen Van Binh Book Street, Ho Chi Minh City from May 8 to 13.
In Vietnam, disabled people strive to help their families
A father of two born with birth defects, Bui Van Phuong, a man in Hanoi, was heartbroken to learn that their deformities were linked to Agent Orange. The man promised himself to teach them to thrive in life.
