As I've mentioned here several times before, Ham Tran's feature film Journey From The Fall opens in select cities this Friday, March 23rd from ImaginAsian Pictures. It's the epic story of one family's struggle for freedom and survival in the aftermath of the fall of Saigon in 1975. The film spans the city's burning streets, to imprisonment in Communist re-education camps, to the perilous sea escape from Vietnam, and the family's new life in the United States. It's an incredibly ambitious movie; you aren't supposed to make first features like this. And yet Ham Tran has done it, and he's made one hell of a film, bringing cinematic voice to the hundreds of thousands of Vietnamese Americans whose lives and stories reflect this journey. And it's a true American story.
The movie opens on Friday at theaters in New York, Orange County and San Jose. As with most independent Asian American films, this first weekend is critical for Journey From The Fall's theatrical run. If it does well this weekend, it will likely open in more theaters and cities—and this is the kind of film that everyone should go out and see. Here's a list of opening weekend theaters (and beyond):
March 23:
SAN JOSE, CA: Camera 12
NEW YORK, NY: The ImaginAsian
GARDEN GROVE, CA: Regal Garden Grove Stadium 16
WESTMINSTER, CA: Edwards Westminster 10
March 30:
HOUSTON, TX: Cinemark Tinseltown Westchase
DALLAS (GARLAND), TX: Cinemark Hollywood USA Movies 15
DALLAS (GRAND PRAIRIE), TX: Cinemark Movies 16
April 20:
CHICAGO (EVANSTON), IL: Century 12 Evanston/CineArts 6
SAN FRANCISCO, CA: 4 Star Theatre
As you can see, the roll-out plan is pretty limited right now. But if it does well this weekend in every city, it'll expand to other cities. Maybe even your city. So get the word out! I've talked about this film enough over the last year, festival after festival. Now it's your turn to go see it and get the word out. To learn more about the film, go here. And go here for a video message from the director and producer of Journey From The Fall.