A short documentary telling the story of Vietnamese refugee Tuan Huynh and his journey bringing his family’s legacy as coffee growers in Vietnam to the United States with the launch of his authentic Vietnamese coffee brand ‘Vietfive.’

Director’s Vision for ‘Vietfive’

When Tuan initially came to me wanting to tell the Vietfive story, we approached it as a commercial promo – 60 seconds, short and sweet. But as we worked on it we realized the film was wanting to be something else. The story demanded a format was more layered, more invested. It was a documentary. Something that required a bit of investment from the audience, coincidentally the same amount of time investment that it takes to make a cup of authentic Vietnamese coffee through the phin process we demonstrate in the film. I’m grateful to Tuan for recognizing this along with me and changing lanes to create something that more accurately captures his story, which is also his family’s story and a snapshot of a generation of Vietnamese refugees. I hope the viewer sits down to watch with a warm cup of coffee or tea and allows themselves 5 minutes to take in this film about the importance of celebrating culture and owning your own story – past and present.