Daughter from Danang

Any documentary that keeps me glued to the set (I saw "Daughter from Danang" on PBS television) and can provoke compassion, delight, consternation, embarrassment, anger, admiration, and deep chagrin, is, to my mind, a great documentary.

"Daughter from Danang" fits that description. Regardless of my personal reaction to the players in this particular true-life drama, I will never see human relationships in quite the same way again. I'd challenge anybody to see it and come away indifferent.

A masterwork.

It's almost 2008 and Heidi's mother still waits. Heidi may never understand the complicated reasons for the failure of her visit, as expressed so well in various commentaries. She was told her family would expect help, and perhaps if Tran T Nhu (who paid for and planned the trip to visit relatives in Hanoi before Heidi and the film crew asked to come along) had been able to stay with Heidi, there might not have been the breakdown. It certainly wasn't planned. The film followed the unfolding events with honesty. It remains a small slice of the multiple effects and ongoing trauma of war. Maybe Heidi's children will some day want to visit their Viet Nam family, but they too will have to face the cultural divide. With the right background, which Heidi unfortunately lacked, visiting one's Asian relatives becomes a wonderful and enriching experience.

I watched this movie by accident. I was reading a material and had left the TV on when the title came up ..... " Daughter From Danang" .... I did not know what it was, but my instinct told me it was a drama movie/documentary film. I am all for dramas and more so with true to life story documentaries. Without hesitance, I dropped what I was reading and soon became engrossed as the story was unfolding. True, I was expecting a happy ending. Instead, the movie ended in a sad tone with a subtle hint of possibly another tragedy in the making. I was deeply saddened and felt the pang of pain for Heidi that her visit turned out like a nightmare. I myself is a mixture of Chinese and of Southeast Asian background (not Vietnamese). Most of my relatives from both sides of my parents are very poor. They hardly have any food on the table, let alone a decent house or education. I grew up seeing my parents helped their relatives in every way they can in terms of food, shelter, clothes, education and employment. A lot of times, we the children had to sacrifice our wants and likes such as fun outfits, nice toys and holiday trips because my parents could no longer afford those. With all gratitude, my parents provided all of us seven (7) children, the education that was inexistent in our family tree. Helping family and relatives is like a tradition in my family. It is also like a legacy and it will be passed on to the next generation, especially to the ones who are in a position to help. Growing up in this type of environment .... I totally understand and sympathize with the Vietnamese's predicament and the need for help. I am almost sure that when they knew Heidi was coming to see them, they probably thought she will bring them the much needed salvation. The Vietnamese Family may have expected this to happen, more than just hoped for it to happen. This was demonstrated by their aggressiveness in asking for financial help, of which Heidi took it as rude and offensive. Heidi's reaction was also understandable because she was brought up by her adoptive parent the "Americn Way". Very strong minded and independent, amongst many other qualities. I am just curious as to why Heidi was not prepared for all of this? I am aware that the lady who escorted her to Vietnam have told her that life is very different there. But somehow, Heidi should have gone a little further or at least, she should have been encouraged by the filming group to do a little research on the cultural background of her estranged family. Her awareness and familiarization of the social culture could have helped her interact with her family in a more positive way, and may have avoided the unnecessary feeling of shock, anger and resentment that caused her so much anguish, it broke my heart. It's been 2 years now since her emotional visit to Vietnam. She may have taken some time to think things over and have created a plan to reconsider her brother's plea for help. At the end of the interview, Heidi said something to this effect: "I guess I closed the door on them (paused and thinking). Yes, I may have closed the door, but I did not lock the door (gave a smile"): This gave me a strong sense of hope. It tells me that she's taking a step back in order to make two steps forward. Heidi's American upbringing ..... the morals, virtues and principles that she was shaped into by her adoptive family may play a big role in her recognizing and exercising humanitarian gestures towards her Vietnamese family. I hope that this act of good deed will serve as a vehicle for her to learn to accept her real family and to love them unconditionally, as they did for her. According to Heidi, she lives for the present and for the future. The she does not live for the past....... my comment to this is that for Heidi to accept and acknowledge the fact that there was a huge void in her life that needs filling up. In my opinion, she needs to find a way to connect the past to the present, so that she may able to proceed with her journey to the future. I think, if she's able to do this, she would feel whole, strong and liberated. This is then a call for PART TWO of the drama ...... ah! what should be the title? HHHmmm, I'll leave that to you. This movie has been inspiring to me, and no doubt .... should be inspiring for those children like Heidi. This presentation, could help thousands of those children ease their silent suffering, and may help aide them in their healing process. That ultimately, the tragedy in Vietnam War will yield a happy ending. At least, for those innocent children like Heidi who will successfully come to terms with her past, present and future life as a person. To the people who created this film, thank you and more power to you. To Heidi and her family .... be patient for "LOVE WILL CONQUER ALL".

I just want to note that, from my view and contrary to what many of the previous posts suggest, Heidi's family did not see her as a dollar sign. The Vietnamese are very straightforward when it comes to money and family. I was most surprised at Heidi's reaction. Someone should have guided her and helped her understand before she met with her family. She should have done some research on the Vietnamese culture as should have her family with western culture. I enjoyed the movie as it portrays how vastly different our cultures are and how we can easily misunderstand each other.

I lived in Vietnam for about 9 months and have been asked for financial help just as Heidi was. I however didn't cry hysterically as I understood why I was being asked. Whenever friends or in-laws asked for money, I jokingly explained that I really could not afford it. Mind you, I was only asked by a few people.. I explained how life is far more expensive in the west and how a westerner could find such a question offensive. In turn they explained to me their reasoning. We didn't make any rash judgments and because of it, we left the incident more aware, experienced, and as friends.

Heidi needed guidance in understanding the difference in cultures because she was obviously not prepared to meet with her family. Based on what I gathered from the movie, growing up, Heidi seemed to have been closed off from the world. I feel that she needs guidance in life and not only in Vietnam. I don't mean to judge her as I could be wrong; I only know what the documentary offered.

I just saw this movie, it was so difficult and emotional. I was so dismayed and touched by the footage of these children being separated from their Vietnamese mothers. How heart-wrenching it was to watch and I just thank God most of us will never be in that situation.

The warmth and affection Heidi received from her Vietnamese family was very endearing. I have to wonder if she was not at all coached that she would be hit up for money, she seemed so shocked. I also don't want to judge her because I will never be in her situation. Such little monetary support would mean so much to her family. 100 bucks here and there would really improve their comfort. I realize she is not a wealthy woman and is trying to raise her own family and she has a lifestyle to maintain.

I wish she would reach out with clear boundaries to her Vietnamese family. I just think she got overwhelmed and instead of trying to figure out how to work through it she just decided to ignore it.