03/28/2007: "CORRECTION - Journey From the Fall Opening Weekend Numbers"

EDIT - I've been editing and reposting this entry since 7pm of today and finally at 822 pm PST, I think this is the final version.

Looks like I was off when I first posted about the opening numbers for Journey From the Fall - Here's the official press release from ImaginAsian Films (the distributor)

BEGIN PRES RELEASE -

ImaginAsian Pictures JOURNEY FROM THE FALL tops the charts! #1 per-screen average in the country at $21,861 per screen

NEW YORK, March 26, 2007-

ImaginAsian Pictures first theatrical release, JOURNEY FROM THE FALL made a spectacular bow in the opening weekend of its rolling theatrical release, earning the highest per-screen average of any film, specialty or mainstream, in the country with $21,861 per screen. Playing in four theaters, the film grossed $87,442 for the weekend.

"This is a defining moment for Asian American cinema and is a testament to the talent, determination and vision of the filmmakers and producers involved. All those who champion independent productions should draw inspiration from this!" said Michael Hong, CEO of ImaginAsian Entertainment, Inc.

Currently playing sold-out screenings in New York City, Westminster, and San Jose, and expanding nationwide beginning March 30, 2007, Journey from the Fall is directed by Ham Tran and is inspired by the true stories of Vietnamese refugees who fled their land after the fall of Saigon, and the struggles of those who stayed behind and suffered the brutalities of the re-education camps. The critically acclaimed film was an official selection of both the Sundance and the Pusan Film Festivals, and has won more than 10 awards at 20 festivals around the world.

The film stars Kieu Chinh, Long Nguyen, Diem Lien, Nguyen Thai Nguyen, and Jayvee Mai The Hiep.

Journey from the Fall (www.JourneyFromTheFall.com) is an ImaginAsian Pictures release, a division of ImaginAsian Entertainment, Inc.

END PRESS RELEASE

I've been snooping around other Viet Blogs and found this great post from Enderminh. Check it out.

In response to Enderminh's parenthetical "boy, do I hope this will also air in Vietnam" - I wouldn't hold your breath, bro. I would further assume that bootleggers in Vietnam are going to stay away from this one to avoid arrest/even jail.

The Vietnamese Ministry of Culture has to approve all scripts of films proposed to be shot in Vietnam and I know that the Journey script with its political overtones would have never passed the Ministry's approval process. That was one of the main reasons Journey was shot in Thailand. A lot of the Vietnamese crew also worked under pseudonyms to avoid trouble when returning to Vietnam. I remember some conversations on set amongst the Viet Kieu's about working under a pseudonym to avoid any possible future Visa denial issues, but nothing ever came of it.

I am curious if the Vietnamese government has anything to say about this film. A few years ago I put together a panel for the DC APA Film Festival that included Ham Tran (when he was touring with his Oscar-shortlisted short film The Anniversary at the time) someone from the Vietnamese Embassy, and other filmmakers/academics. I remember the VN Embassy rep did not have much then to say about The Anniversary which explores the civil tensions of the Vietnam War. Most of The Anniversary was shot in Vietnam, but the VN war parts were shot in California, and I remember Ham telling us that the original script was rejected by the Ministry, but they ended up making it anyway (don't ask me how they did it). Don Doung, the lead Vietnamese actor in the film later had his VN Passport revoked because of his politicized role in the Mel Gibson vehicle "We Were Soldiers." The VN government takes these things very seriously, to say the least.

Hopefully the film makes its way to Los Angeles sooner than later and opens wider across the country. Having already seen the film in various stages, including a cut that was close to a final, I want to reiterate that this film is not your run-of-the-mill foreign film with subtitles, but a deeply moving film about perseverance, hope and reconciling with the past. I know I've said this time and time again, but working on Journey From the Fall was one of the most rewarding experiences of my life and the time we spent in Thailand making it was probably the most brilliant chapter of my young life.

If you want to learn more, here's a recent interview with director Ham Tran. (via angryasianman)