Project Overview:
We to Me chronicles the stories of Vietnamese people born during the American-Vietnam War. This group, called the Bridge Generation, lived in simple houses or apartments, often with no indoor plumbing or electricity, experienced desperate poverty and famine in the 1970s and 1980s, and now are the driving force of one of the world’s most dynamic economies.
The Bridge Generation experienced shared suffering through war and hunger. This created a strong community bond. However, Vietnam’s open-door policy in the 1990’s has brought influences from the west that have greatly influenced the younger generations. Economic prosperity and the internet ushered in the ideas of individualism and freedom of self-expression. As a result, a cultural divide and disconnect is emerging between the Bridge Generation and younger generations. Can the Bridge Generation overcome this obstacle and can the younger generations connect and learn from their history and heritage?
EP1:
bao cấp
As the United States leaves Saigon in 1975, North and South Vietnam are united by Vietnam’s Communist party, based in the northern city of Hanoi. Although the Americans have left, other wars with Cambodia and China take center stage. To accommodate the needs of new conflicts, recover from the American war, and to encourage equality under communism, the party installs the national policy of Bao Cap, which means Subsidy Period. From 1975 to the late 1980s, the Communist party directly controls agricultural policy and the distribution of food, goods and services through rationing and subsidies. Hunger and famine are widespread and the policy ultimately fails. Today’s Vietnamese youth cannot relate to the Bao Cap era and they struggle to comprehend the lifestyle their parents endured. In this episode, we learn how the younger generation is trying to connect with the past and how the Bridge Generation finds that unnerving.
Documentary Purpose:
Most of the world knows very little of Vietnam. Many people view it as a country that fought the Americans during the Vietnam War, or as an exotic vacation destination for tourists. The Bridge Co. is excited to produce this documentary to introduce the world to the stories of everyday Vietnamese people, and to show that they struggle with the same cultural changes occurring in all societies around the world.
Filming Location:
Hanoi, Vietnam is the commercial, cultural, and educational center of northern Vietnam. The city has changed dramatically from the Bao Cap era. Bicycles used to fill the streets but now, millions of gas-powered scooters zip around. Skyscrapers and high density apartment buildings stand on the grounds of former rice patties and the city’s population has grown from 900,000 in 1980 to almost 8 million people today.
The Food Collector
Vu was born in Nam Dinh, Vietnam in 1973. He and his brother were the primary food collectors for their family. They took food stamps and waited in line sometimes for hours to receive food subsidy distributions. His family’s most valued possession when growing up was a bicycle. He is now a tour guide, including leading food tours for tourists visiting Hanoi.
"My brother and I listened for the bell on the cart. Two times a month, when we heard the bell, it was the signal to go into action. It did not matter if we were studying or playing. We stopped and gathered our bags, one large burlap for rice, and smaller one for vegetables or meat. We rushed to find the food cart so we could be early in the queue.”
The Artist
Det was born in Hanoi, Vietnam in 1999. She is a young artist who plays guitar and sings in a local band. Det is very passionate about the Bao Cap era and cultural movements. She spends much of her free time at Bao Cap cafes and wears vintage clothing. She also purchases and sells vintage clothing to her friends and acquaintances. She is eager to share her interest in this cultural phenomenon and provide insight from the young Vietnamese generation.
“They just don't realize that for our generation, it is not about money. It’s about how to make ourselves feel more happy and to make ourselves feel more comfortable. We can't just be some sort of money-making machines. We would like to have some individualism in us, like doing art, or singing, or writing songs. To have some freedom of mind.”
The Fighter
Chien was born in Hanoi, Vietnam in 1971. The translation of his name is “The Fighter”. He lives up to the name, although he is short, by being well built (like a wrestler) and having a strong personality. He was always hungry as a child, almost never having meat to eat. As an adult, Chien’s determination and the pursuit of knowledge have resulted in much success, including a successful political career. He has a strong will to carry on Vietnamese history and culture.
“I think that my name is like my destiny. I have been fighting my whole life since my childhood until now, to get better education, to get better life and to get better future for me and for the generations to come.”