Center for Asian American Media

On November 19, 1993, 18-year-old Kong Chi Thao was killed in a drive-by shooting in downtown Fresno. Interviews with his family members reveal their varying perceptions of how and why Kong Chi’s death took place, which, in turn, reflect their own differing expectations and experiences of being Hmong immigrants in America. Intimate and immediate, this documentary sifts through the facts and myths that surround the Hmong as they try hard to sustain the delicate balance between traditional Hmong beliefs and American practicalities and to readjust to the realities of life in the States.

“A brilliant tale of a Hmong family in California’s Central Valley. The film manages to tell the story of many immigrants through its examination of just one extended family. The inter-generational issues explored give the film a compelling texture rare in such documentaries.”

- Lydia Chavez, Univ. of California, Berkeley

Recognition
National PBS Broadcast

College/Institution

K-12/Public Library/Community Group