Charlie Nguyen, Director, "The Rebel"

On our September 29, 2008 show, we talk with Charlie Nguyen, director/producer/writer of The Rebel, a period piece set in French colonial Vietnam that deals with a Vietnamese traitor in the struggle for national independence, with exciting scenes of martial arts. The film stars Charlie Nguyen's brother, Johnny Tri Nguyen and established actor Dustin Nguyen (21 Jump Street, Heaven and Earth) as well as Vietnamese actress/singer Ngo Thanh Van.

For Charlie Nguyen, a Viet Kieu (Overseas Vietnamese), the Rebel marks his return to his homeland. He also directed and wrote Chances Are and produced Finding Madison.

The film won the VIFF (Vietnamese International Film Festival)'s 2007 audience award at UCI among other awards.

The film will be screened Friday October 3 for free at the Bowers Museum in Santa Ana in connection with a DVD release party; events start with a prescreening reception at 6 pm followed by the screening at 7 pm. Both Charlie Nguyen and actor Dustin Nguyen will be present for a Q and A.

The OC event is co-sponsored by VAALA. Founded in 1991 by a group of Vietnamese American journalists, artists and friends, Vietnamese American Arts & Letters Association (VAALA) is a community-based non-profit organization that seeks to promote and enrich arts and culture by, for, and about the Vietnamese communities. VAALA has organized numerous cultural events such as art exhibitions, book fairs, book signings, recitals, plays, lectures, the biennial Vietnamese International Film Festival (ViFF), the biennial Cinema Symposium, the annual Children's Moon Festival Art Contest and year-long art and music classes. VAALA recently developed smART Program, which offers free art workshops for non-profit youth organizations in the Orange County and Los Angeles areas.

Bowers Museumio is at 2002 North Main Street, Santa Ana 92706, telephone: (714) 567-3695.

To listen to the program, click here: