I'm looking for the doco Nerakhoon (the betrayal)

vonni

vonni

sarNie Egg
Plot summary: The epic story of a family forced to emigrate from Laos after the chaos of the secret air war waged by the U.S. during the Vietnam War. Kuras has spent the last 23 years chronicling the family's extraordinary journey in this deeply personal, poetic, and emotional film.

I was wondering if anyone has a download link for this, or could just point the way to it.

Thanks in advanced
 
dfemc

dfemc

sarNie Adult
hmmm..interesting, first time i heard of this, i'll be searchin' it out too now. if anyone comes across it, please dooo share.
 
N

noups

sarNie Egg
yea i wanted to watch the documentary too. Please post a link of the full film if u find it
 
E

Ee_maLlie

sarNie Egg
I'm also looking to the documentary Nerakhoon. I've watch trailers of the film, it looks very good.

I've found dates of when the film will be screening. I hope it'll help out some of you guys who want to see it.

Starz Film Center, Denver, CO JANUARY 9, 2009

Music Hall, Los Angeles, CA JANUARY 16, 2009

Angelika Film Center, Dallas, TX FEBRUARY 20, 2009

Lumiere/Opera Plaza, San Francisco, CA FEBRUARY 27, 2009

Shattuck, Berkeley, CA FEBRUARY 27, 2009

Grand Illusion Cinema, Seattle, WA MARCH 13, 2009

Landmark Theatre, Minneapolis, MN MARCH 20, 2009

Angelika Film Center, Houston, TX MARCH 27, 2009

CCA Cinematheque, Santa Fe, NM APRIL 3, 2009

Union Theatre, Milwaukee, WI APRIL 8, 2009

Gateway, Columbus, OH APRIL 10, 2009


Here's the link for more; http://www.thebetrayalmovie.com/screening.htm :)
 
lady0fdarkness

lady0fdarkness

Professional Lakorn Watcher
hmm....... I watched the trailer.. I thought it was going to be about the struggles of Lao refugees from Lao... about their journey into America.... something I anticipate...

and then towards the end.... it looks like the documentary was turning out to be about gang war between Lao gangs and other Asian gangs...in California?? uhmm... I'm sure that's the life of some Lao kids, but I'm really tired of watching Gang documentaries. Yeah they shoot eachother, then do drive bys, then.. whatever. I've hearrd and seen it all before.
 
L

Liberty

sarNie Adult
So that's what my dad was talking about. My dad called me up a week ago telling me about this and I brushed it off because I had no idea what he was talking about.

I don't like how the summary is worded, it makes it sound as if the US waged a war on Laos when the 'Secret War' was actually an internal conflict that occurred in the middle of the Vietnam War. The 'secret war' was really just the vietnam war that had spread to Laos, it was a fight between communism and those against communism.

I haven't seen it yet, I'm hoping it'll be really good considering how long it took them to make it.
 
KEdoubleNY

KEdoubleNY

sarNie Adult
lady0fdarkness said:
hmm....... I watched the trailer.. I thought it was going to be about the struggles of Lao refugees from Lao... about their journey into America.... something I anticipate...

and then towards the end.... it looks like the documentary was turning out to be about gang war between Lao gangs and other Asian gangs...in California?? uhmm... I'm sure that's the life of some Lao kids, but I'm really tired of watching Gang documentaries. Yeah they shoot eachother, then do drive bys, then.. whatever. I've hearrd and seen it all before.
Click to expand...
It's not just about gangs ... its about the stuggle of Lao people during the Vietnam War ... the killings and tortured ... most of the Lao people escape to Thailand and ended up in refugee camp ... eventually some get to come to America ...to experience the life of freedom in the land of opportunity ... but it reality ... its no better than in Laos ... most of us (Lao) faces racism ... Lao kids getting bullied by white kids and black kids ... eventually the Lao kids banded together and form gangs to fight those who bullies them ...

That how the word Nerakhoon is chosen for this movie/documentary because us Lao people feel like we was betray by the Americans ... they destroying our countries .. than bringing us to Americans promising us a better life .. but look where they put us .. most of us ended up in the Ghetto ... the struggle we face in America is no different than in Laos ... If you live in the ghetto than you will know what I'm talking about ...

I'm surprise no other Asians race thought about doing a movie/documentary like this ... can't believe it came from a Lao guy B) B)
 
L

Liberty

sarNie Adult
It's not really a betrayal when you have a choice as to where you want to go. No one forced them to come to America, my dad had a choice and he chose the US even though his first choice was Canada.

From what Lome described it sounds a little one sided when they cover the immigration/transition part.
Everyone of my family members that immigrated to the US from Laos did fine, they struggled at first, which is normal for any immigrant.
Racism is everywhere, it doesn't matter if you're Laotian or something else, it depends on where you live. Even if you live in the most diverse city, you're bound to come across racism, that's just the world. America is a blend of different people from different culture which means you're going to have many people who don't like you simply because of your race. You'll encounter that anywhere in the Western world, it's not just America.
Like I said, I have tons of relatives that came here from Laos and not one ended up in a gang, none of their children got involved in that sort of stuff and they all ended up in the south, Texas, Arkansas, Oklahoma and Florida.

I don't know, I think I'll have to see it for myself.
 
lady0fdarkness

lady0fdarkness

Professional Lakorn Watcher
KEdoubleNY said:
It's not just about gangs ... its about the stuggle of Lao people during the Vietnam War ... the killings and tortured ... most of the Lao people escape to Thailand and ended up in refugee camp ... eventually some get to come to America ...to experience the life of freedom in the land of opportunity ... but it reality ... its no better than in Laos ... most of us (Lao) faces racism ... Lao kids getting bullied by white kids and black kids ... eventually the Lao kids banded together and form gangs to fight those who bullies them ...

That how the word Nerakhoon is chosen for this movie/documentary because us Lao people feel like we was betray by the Americans ... they destroying our countries .. than bringing us to Americans promising us a better life .. but look where they put us .. most of us ended up in the Ghetto ... the struggle we face in America is no different than in Laos ... If you live in the ghetto than you will know what I'm talking about ...

I'm surprise no other Asians race thought about doing a movie/documentary like this ... can't believe it came from a Lao guy B) B)
Click to expand...
" If you live in the ghetto than you will know what I'm talking about ..."

The quote above to me is a sorry excuse. It's been said so many times by so called gang members that I find it really funny.

Now, I'm going to respond solely on what you said and not what the documentary is about.

First of all, I AM the face and living proof of the Vietnam/Communist movement. My dad was tortured and killed, leaving behind 5 children. There were no medicines or drugs to cure the sickness and pain I felt. I was struck by it first hand. My Mom and her 5 kids (no older than 10) hid in ditches in the middle of the cold night fearing the communist will get us. We waited and waited for a boat to cross the Mekhong River to Thailand. When we finally got across, we were captured and sent to jail. Women, men, children were all kept in the same cell next to an overflowing toilet. And after we were released, we were sent to the refugee camp. I spent 5 years of my childhood there. Then we came to America. Now... do you want to know the word struggle? I'll define it for you. You want to know the word bully? I'll write you a whole book on it.

We live beyond the ghetto in America, we lived in a shack with rats. We were bullied left and right; Heck, they even came into our one-bedroom apartment and bullied us. I faced racism, not only from blacks or whites, I faced them from other Asians. They didn't like FOBS apparantly. But instead of joining a gang "to protect" ourselves, we got an education and jobs and moved to better places.

In the document, the Lao Woman stated that she is afraid of her son, because of the gang violence. I am apalled. She brought his ass to America during a God damn war to be afraid of him? Now that is PATHETIC. Might as well leave his gang driven ass in Laos.

Why let the struggles of coming to America go in vain? Why resort to "gangs" and guns? Why not embrace the opportunity to strive? Why fall back? Those gangsters in the documentary should have just stayed back during the war. Why bother coming to America and playing with guns and violence? There was plenty back there during the war.

There are always choices, and those Lao kids choosed to join the gangs. Maybe cause it's the cool thing to do? Maybe cause it was the in thing?

I find it pathetic and sad, really.
 
N

nolee

sarNie Adult
believe it or not, the dude that wrote this document is my mom's cousin.. he came to RI a few times to show this film at some theater in Newport. i never met him nor i got a chance to see the video coz i thought it was about another day in the life of some random lao person so i never really found any interest in it. but i definitely missed out coz i saw the trailer on youtube & was oh, shit! that's him! now i regret not going coz i wanna see it on the big screen.

i'm not totally sure, but i was under thee impression that this video is about how parents/grandparents risked their lives tryna come to america so their kids can have a better life but instead of finishing school, getting a good job, or tryna better themselves, kids rather be gangbangin and starting their own lil civil war against each other.. hint bETRAYAL ... the kids betrayed their own family by not making anything of themselves. --- then again i might be mistaken coz i never watched it.. only heard bits & pieces of my grandma talking bout it lol.

&& yeah, he was a gangbanger; which is no excuse but you live & learn, nah? he's now a successful film producer/director trying to show people how most lao family are in america.. and sadly, a majority of lao teens ARE in a gang; i have plenty of cousins that are gang members.. aint nothin to be proud of but hopefully they will all learn to better themselves before it's too damn late.
 
M

mongstaness

sarNie Adult
m3lhouse said:
I had the pleasure of screening this a few months back at UCLA. The director, also cinematographer for Eternal Sunshine..., was there for a Q and A after the screening and it was just an awesome experience. Hopefully everyone interested will have an opportunity to screen this soon. The director did say that she hopes to have it screened in Lao temples during New Years. I think that would be an appropriate time to for the younger and older generations to see this story as it resonates with many of our experiences. I gotta say it was a little tough watching it in the beginning because his grills were so gnarly, but it's really raw and beautiful and my favorite part of it was his mom's perspective...breaks my heart. The film made me think about doing my parents right. After the screening, there were like the seven of us Lao people got to talk and take pictures with the director and she probably knows more lao than I do!
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u screened it at UCLA? OMG! a sarnie came to UCLA? i can't believe i lost my chance to watch this documentary at UCLA. i regret it sooo bad. my friends tell me it's a good documentary, now i have to get me a copy.
 
Y

yster

sarNie Egg
lady0fdarkness said:
" If you live in the ghetto than you will know what I'm talking about ..."

The quote above to me is a sorry excuse. It's been said so many times by so called gang members that I find it really funny.

Now, I'm going to respond solely on what you said and not what the documentary is about.

First of all, I AM the face and living proof of the Vietnam/Communist movement. My dad was tortured and killed, leaving behind 5 children. There were no medicines or drugs to cure the sickness and pain I felt. I was struck by it first hand. My Mom and her 5 kids (no older than 10) hid in ditches in the middle of the cold night fearing the communist will get us. We waited and waited for a boat to cross the Mekhong River to Thailand. When we finally got across, we were captured and sent to jail. Women, men, children were all kept in the same cell next to an overflowing toilet. And after we were released, we were sent to the refugee camp. I spent 5 years of my childhood there. Then we came to America. Now... do you want to know the word struggle? I'll define it for you. You want to know the word bully? I'll write you a whole book on it.

We live beyond the ghetto in America, we lived in a shack with rats. We were bullied left and right; Heck, they even came into our one-bedroom apartment and bullied us. I faced racism, not only from blacks or whites, I faced them from other Asians. They didn't like FOBS apparantly. But instead of joining a gang "to protect" ourselves, we got an education and jobs and moved to better places.

In the document, the Lao Woman stated that she is afraid of her son, because of the gang violence. I am apalled. She brought his ass to America during a God damn war to be afraid of him? Now that is PATHETIC. Might as well leave his gang driven ass in Laos.

Why let the struggles of coming to America go in vain? Why resort to "gangs" and guns? Why not embrace the opportunity to strive? Why fall back? Those gangsters in the documentary should have just stayed back during the war. Why bother coming to America and playing with guns and violence? There was plenty back there during the war.

There are always choices, and those Lao kids choosed to join the gangs. Maybe cause it's the cool thing to do? Maybe cause it was the in thing?

I find it pathetic and sad, really.
Click to expand...

Now youre just going off on some personal issues. For those of use who have similar stories, this documentary struck a cord. It is about time that we were represented by our stories being told and not being forgotten. We all suffered a great deal with the aftermath of the war. Deaths, the loss of family and the way of life as our families knew it.

The issue is complicated by politics of course. And its not being unpatriotic when you question your counties involvement in unnecessary war. It is your right and your responsibility as an American citizen to voice your opinion and make sure that this nation is governed by the people. And to make your government take into consideration as to what happens with human life when a decision is made to enter into a war.

This movie is a documentary over a family who came through this awful time. Being displaced, literally escaping death, and having to try to adjust to a new way of life with no aid from a government that wants to forget and deny that any war ever took place in a country which they bombed heavily for over a decade. And when I say heavily bombed that is an understatement.

We all made the journey here and we all had struggles, some more than others. But through the adversity no matter how dark things got, we as a people survived. We were somewhat forgotten, but now this film has immerged and given a voice to the struggles we had.

This story is not just a war story, but a story about the complexities of a family. I am glad that this story is being told. It would be a tragedy to let politics close the history books on this horrific time, especially with our troops are currently on foreign land.
 
lady0fdarkness

lady0fdarkness

Professional Lakorn Watcher
^^Ofcourse I want our stories to be told, that is the reason why I used my personal experiences as an example.

Refuging from a war torned country to a foreign land isn't easy. But it looks like we aren't on the same page here. I'm talking about how it's a shame that some Lao people who escaped Laos along with their parents and relatives go to a free country, where they are able to embrace education and knowledge and be something worthwhile; make their parents proud, don't let their escape to America go in vain, but instead they rather go shoot eachother in gangs. How patheteic is that? Understand?
 
Y

yster

sarNie Egg
lady0fdarkness said:
^^Ofcourse I want our stories to be told, that is the reason why I used my personal experiences as an example.

Refuging from a war torned country to a foreign land isn't easy. But it looks like we aren't on the same page here. I'm talking about how it's a shame that some Lao people who escaped Laos along with their parents and relatives go to a free country, where they are able to embrace education and knowledge and be something worthwhile; make their parents proud, don't let their escape to America go in vain, but instead they rather go shoot eachother in gangs. How patheteic is that? Understand?
Click to expand...

Violence against anyone is not warranted, but I do disagree with people who see things black and white. Who thinks that things are clear cut, and easily dishes out judgements based upon their personal experiences.

I think that peoples circumstances are difficult, and you should nt easily group people into nice little neat packages. Due to complex circumstances people sometimes make bad decisions. Just because you made different decisions doesnt mean that you re right and they re wrong. I work with kids like this everyday. Its hard work to live a good life, and you only have one to learn from. We can only encourage one another to better ourselves even after we have made poor decisions, and that we all have within us the possibility to overcome our past if we dont close the door on one another. That is what I understand.
 
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