Empowering VAALA's #nextgeneration

When we think about the way Vietnamese people are portrayed in mainstream media, you’ll notice that the stories are often not told from our perspective. Napalm and wartime caricatures are not the only stories we have to offer.

If we don’t tell our stories, other people will tell it for us.

That is the reason the Vietnamese American Arts & Letters Association (VAALA) launched Viet Film Fest. With the mission of supporting and celebrating Vietnamese voices in cinema, Viet Film Fest provides a nurturing environment for artists to grow and a space for audiences to learn about the nuanced Vietnamese experience.

Viet Film Fest emphasizes developing the next generation of Vietnamese artists through our special youth programming. The Youth in Motion Program was created because we recognized a gap in filmmaking and the lack of resources for our community. It was evident that there was a desire from youth who wanted to express themselves through this art form. Youth in Motion develops skills through workshops with experienced professionals in the industry. 

In addition, Viet Film Fest provides volunteer opportunities, educational panels, and free movie screenings to high school and college students during the festival.

More recently, VAALA's Gallery Beyond Walls - Project Foto, a multimedia arts program for young women and gender non-confirming individuals, shows how art is a transformational tool that instills leadership skills, a sense of community, and confidence in its participants. Our youth programs are addressing serious issues in the community and have proven to be a powerful agent of change.

As a volunteer-based organization, we need financial contribution from our community in order to ensure these core programs can continue. With your support, we can be our own storytellers. 

Please consider donating today to help us reach our $10,000 goal by October 31st!

Or mail in a check payable to “VAALA”:
VAALA 

P.O. Box 20218, Fountain Valley, CA 92728

Viet Film Fest is organized by the Vietnamese American Arts & Letters Association (VAALA), which is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization. Your donation to VAALA is tax-deductible within the limits of the federal law.