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Mai’s America

When a spunky, mini-skirted daughter of Ho Chi Minh’s revolution leaves cosmopolitan Hanoi for a high school exchange program in rural Mississippi, her ideas about freedom, America, Vietnam, and herself are thrown into question.

Series

POV, Global Voices

Premiere Date

August 6, 2002

Length

90 minutes

Funding Type

Co-Production

Awards & Recognition

Winner

2002 South by Southwest Film Festival (SXSW) - Audience Award

Winner

2002 International Documentary Association (IDA) - Distinguished Achievement Award

Winner

2003 International Documentary Association (IDA) - Distinguished Documentary Achievement Awards, Feature Competition

Marlo Poras

Producer

Marlo Poras began her film career as an apprentice to Thelma Schoonmaker at Martin Scorcese's Cappa productions and worked in the editing room on independent features. Later, she was living in Vietnam, producing HIV/AIDS education films when she was inspired to make Mai's America, her first film. Mai's America aired on P.O.V. to much critical acclaim, winning numerous awards, including Best Feature Documentary from the IDA. Marlo's next film, Run Granny Run, traveled to dozens of festivals and aired on HBO. Marlo is the recipient of a Guggenheim Fellowship.
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