Independent Lens
Bulletproof
Bulletproof takes a provocative look at fear, violence, and what it means to be safe in the classroom in the age of mass shootings.
Light of the Setting Sun
A heartfelt exploration of the multigenerational trauma that has dogged a large Chinese family across time and borders.
- Funding Initiative
- Diversity Development Fund
- Open Call
Director
Vicky Du
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.
Producer
Danielle Varga
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.
- Other ITVS Films
- Bulletproof
- The Hottest August
- SEEDS
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The Film
Filmmaker Vicky Du investigates the multigenerational trauma that has haunted her family since the Chinese Communist Revolution drove her grandparents from their home in 1949. Motivated by a familial suicide attempt, Du traces instances of mental illness across four generations as the family has spread from the East to the West. Roving between Taipei, Taiwan, Heishui and Dongguan, China, Toronto, Los Angeles, and New Jersey, Du offers an unflinching glimpse of the wounds time and refuge won't heal. In addition to exploring identity and gender roles within Chinese culture, she asks the question: Does family history ensure a fixed path in life, or can future generations be free from the past?
