Archive · 13 Dec 2025
Oscar-Contending Documentary Follows Amerasian Man's Reunion Quest
A long time ago, during the Vietnam War, many American soldiers had children with Vietnamese women.
These children, called Amerasians, often faced hard times because of the war.
One such child, Sang, grew up not knowing his American father.
A kind filmmaker named Weronika made a movie about Sang's journey to find his dad.
With the help of DNA tests, Sang found his father, Nelson, who lived in the U.S. They finally met, and it was a very emotional moment.
The movie shows how important it is for families to stay connected, no matter where they are.
The movie has won many awards but can't be shown in Vietnam yet because of rules there.
An estimated 100,000 to 500,000 Amerasian children were born during the Vietnam War.
Amerasian children faced stigma and prejudice in post-war Vietnam.
The documentary 'Child of Dust' follows Sang Ngô Thanh's journey to reunite with his American father, Nelson Torres.
Sang's father accepted him and they planned to meet in the U.S.
The film has won multiple awards at international film festivals but is banned in Vietnam.
- Who
- Sang Ngô Thanh, an Amerasian man born in Vietnam, and his American father, Nelson Torres.
- What
- A documentary titled 'Child of Dust' follows Sang's journey to reunite with his father.
- When
- The events take place in the present day, with flashbacks to the 1960s.
- Where
- The story spans Vietnam and the southern United States.
- Why
- Sang seeks to reunite with his father to complete his sense of identity and share his story.
- Amerasian Children Estimates
- 100,000 to 500,000
- Documentary Title
- Child of Dust
- Director
- Weronika Mliczewska
- Cinematographer
- Mikael Lypinski
- Producers
- Weronika Mliczewska, Chi Minh De Leo, Bao Nguyen
- Subject
- Sang Ngô Thanh
- Father
- Nelson Torres
- Film Festivals
- Tribeca, Chicago, Krakow, Paris, Thessaloniki