Filmmaker Examines Her Family’s Hidden History in “Light of the Setting Sun,” Premiering May 18 on PBS’s Independent Lens

One family. Four generations shaped by displacement and trauma. “Light of the Setting Sun,” a heartfelt exploration of the multigenerational trauma that has haunted a large Chinese family across time and borders, premieres Monday, May 18, 2026, on PBS’s INDEPENDENT LENS.

Taiwanese-American filmmaker Vicky Du investigates the multigenerational trauma that has persisted in her family since the Chinese Communist Revolution drove her grandparents from their home in 1949. Prompted by a mental breakdown in her family, Du traces instances of mental illness across four generations as the family has spread from East to West. Spanning Taipei, Taiwan, and New Jersey, this reflective examination of a family’s hidden history seeks to understand how their past continues to shape their present and future.

“Part family drama, part detective story, Light of the Setting Sun focuses on the history of silences in a family,” said Lois Vossen, INDEPENDENT LENS a Founding Executive Producer. “It alternates between slices of life and family interviews that explore how the past continues to echo across generations and influence how we move through the world.”

Turning the camera inward, Du offers an unflinching glimpse of the wounds time and refuge won’t heal. She questions her family’s silence around the cycles of harmful behavior, approaching it with empathy and healing. Blending narration with intimate interviews and family archives, “Light of the Setting Sun” is a personal essay exploring identity, gender roles, and whether or not healing can break the cycle for future generations.

“Light of the Setting Sun” will premiere on PBS’s INDEPENDENT LENS on May 11, 2026, (check local listings) and will be available to stream on the PBS app and PBS Documentaries YouTube Channel.

ABOUT THE FILMMAKERS

Vicky Du, Director

Vicky Du is a Taiwanese-American filmmaker based in New York. “Light of the Setting Sun” is her first feature-length documentary which explores intergenerational trauma in her own Chinese-Taiwanese-American family. The film has been generously supported by CAAM, ITVS, Sundance, BAVC, and Points North Institute.

Danielle Varga, Producer

Danielle Varga is a nonfiction producer. She most recently produced “Bulletproof” directed by Todd Chandler, who won the Hot Docs Award for Best Emerging International Filmmaker. She produced Brett Story’s critically acclaimed documentary “The Hottest August” and co-produced Kirsten Johnson’s award-winning and Oscar-shortlisted film “Cameraperson.”

CREDITS

Director and Producer 
Vicky Du

Producer       
Danielle Varga

Executive Producers      
Carrie Lozano

Lois Vossen

Royd Chung

Jean Tsien

Stephen Gong

Don Young

ABOUT INDEPENDENT LENS
Independent Lens is an award-winning documentary series that fosters understanding, seeks to build empathy, and encourages a more united society. Produced by ITVS, Independent Lens documentaries have premiered on PBS for 25 years and streamed on YouTube, helping Americans foster deeper connections between communities and themselves. From the Oscar-nominated I Am Not Your Negro to the Peabody-acclaimed docuseries Philly D.A. and the Emmy^Ⓡ award-winning The Invisible War, Independent Lens provides viewers with in-depth, nuanced storytelling reflecting the experiences of people from a variety of voices and communities. Funding is provided by the Action Circle for Independent Lens with major funding from the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, Acton Family Giving, Ford Foundation, and Jonathan Logan Family Foundation, with additional support from Artemis Rising Foundation, Wyncote Foundation, Park Foundation, Brandt Jackson Foundation, the deNovo Initiative, and RandomGood Foundation. Additional support has been provided by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.

Stream anytime on the PBS app or YouTube. Learn more at pbs.org/independentlens

ABOUT ITVS

Independent Television Service (ITVS) is the largest co-producer of independent documentaries in the United States. For more than 30 years the San Francisco nonprofit has funded and partnered with documentary filmmakers to produce and distribute untold stories. ITVS incubates and co-produces these award-winning titles and premieres them on our Emmy Award-winning PBS series, INDEPENDENT LENS. ITVS titles appear on PBS, WORLD, NETA, and can be streamed on various digital platforms including the PBS app. ITVS is funded by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, Acton Family Giving, John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, Ford Foundation, Park Foundation, and Wyncote Foundation. For more information, visit itvs.org.

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