Maya Lin: A Strong Clear Vision

This documentary was really fantastic. I was so moved by it. I was astonished and amazed to learn that Maya Lin's design was picked from so many -- her impressionistic pastel drawings and handwritten text won over so many others. That the board had such a vision to pick hers was truly astounding. That a 20 year old would have such vision is also truly moving and amazing. I've always been moved to tears when I see the Vietnam memorial-- now it means so much more to me having heard Maya Lin's explanations behind how she conceptualized it. A black gash in the earth, with the names in chronological order. It all makes so much sense. Bravo to all those who made her vision a reality. It really is a monument for the ages.

This documentary film won the Academy Award for this category and because of that I decided to give it a look. It's a film about the career of Maya Lin starting with her design for the Vietnam War Memorial in DC through the mid-1990s. I wish it talked more about her earlier life and I'd love to know what she'd doing today, as the film came out a decade and a half ago.

As for the big design that catapulted her to national attention, this took up almost half of the film and was quite interesting. I learned two interesting things (among others)—that she created this winning design while a student in college and that there was at least initially a lot of dissension about its merits. As I was only a teen at that time, I really didn't notice either---I just remember the profound impact the memorial had on many people once it was completed. The rest of the film concerns some of her other projects—such as a memorial to slain civil rights workers as well as a weird glass project that looks reminiscent of a Japanese rock garden. Much of it consists of Ms. Lin discussing the creative process and her thinking behind her award-winning work.

Although this documentary was a bit dry, it was interesting and well-made. For lovers of documentaries, it's worth seeing—if a bit incomplete. For others, though, documentaries are often not very popular films and I doubt many will ever see this even with its Oscar—which is a shame, as it's well worth a look.

this documentary wasn't too bad. It had a good approach to giving information. I liked the way it showed interviews from the past as well as ones from more recent times to show how Maya Lin has matured since she first designed the war memorial. I also liked the fact that it showed the oppion of other people that were involved, as well as people that were not involved. The time was a little too much for me though. I would have prefered for it to be shorter. Maybe something like a special on a & e or on p b s.

I sat down with this film knowing that Maya Lin was the creative force behind the Vietnam Memorial in Washington DC. What Freida Lee Mock's brilliant documentary shows is how difficult it was for her design to become reality. Not only did she compete with over 1,400 other entrants, but opposition to her idea, once selected, was stong and sometimes intentionally cruel.

The film follows Maya throughout her career. Other creations include the Civil Rights Monument in Montgomery, Alabama and a tribute to the women who have attended Yale University. The winner for Best Documentary Feature in 1995, Freida Lee Mock deserves praise for letting Maya and her art speak for themselves. Simply witness the emotional responses of the memorials' visitors, and you'll begin to understand what a treasure Maya is. A wonderful film!

it was not the best documentary of the year. That honor should go to "Hoop Dreams." I don't understand how this amazing film could be so neglected by the Academy.