OPERATION BABYLIFT: The Lost Children of Vietnam

This film looks at the plight of orphaned Vietnamese children and the nurses and caretakers who strove to evacuate them after the Vietnam War. It also chronicles the adoptees’ lives once they arrive in the United States. The first half of Operation Babylift provides a detailed look at a historic event for the Americans after their first failed war, offering interviews of many who had worked diligently at what they felt was a humanitarian effort – to save the lives of children before the communist regime would take over the country.
The second half of the film is devoted to the orphans themselves whose lives are tenderly retold through photographs and stories. Growing up, they speak of feeling deeply alienated, being harshly discriminated against, and trying to find themselves. Many of the subjects discuss the ways that they had struggled for so long to define their identities. The interviews also include stories of their journey to Vietnam as a group and the ways in which they had reunited with other adoptees in the United States. Most poignant was the Ballards’ family’s own home video of their attempts to adopt a son from Vietnam. An important documentary that investigates Operation Babylift from a humanistic perspective, director Tammy Nguyen Lee’s work delves into a fascinating chapter of American history.
Film synopsis by Lan Duong

USA / 2009
88 mins / color video
Executive Producers:   Tammy Nguyen Lee, George Lee
Producer / Director / Writer: Tammy Nguyen Lee
Associate Producer:  Jared Rehberg
Cinematographer:  Tammy Nguyen Lee, George Lee
Music:  Thomas’ Apartment, Jared Rehberg
Editor:  Chris Tonick, Seth Pascale