“My favorite Tribeca music documentary was a homespun affair: Elizabeth Ai’s ‘New Wave,’ a soft scream of a film about ’80s Vietnamese diaspora culture and style.”
— Natalia Winkelman,
“Revealing a subculture little known to outsiders, the film soars in its glimpses of the past, most notably the archival performances and photo montages; the period’s outrageous hair must be seen to be believed.”
— Lisa Wong Macabasco,
“a documentary love letter to her community and how its consumption of pop culture shaped defiant attitudes that still resonate today.”
— Ryan Lattanzio,
“With depth and emotional resonance, Elizabeth Ai’s lively first feature is both an endearingly nostalgic exploration of the defiant Vietnamese new wave music scene, as well as a vulnerable and personal look at the filmmaker and her community’s revisiting of their unexamined past.”
— Jack Dunn,
“Elizabeth Ai’s upcoming documentary New Wave tells the story about this world of Vietnamese hipness. The Chinese-Vietnamese-American director learned about Viet New Wave from her grandmother, who used to bring Paris by Night tapes to their family home in San Gabriel, California. Ai says she’s making her documentary to show her three-year-old daughter the Vietnamese diaspora stories outside of war.”
— Thuc Doan Nguyen,
ABOUT THE FILM
LOGLINE
Mile-high hair. Synthesized sounds. Teenage rebellion. Elizabeth Ai was on a mission to excavate an untold story of rebellious punks in the chaotic world of 80s Vietnamese new wave until she uncovered a hidden past.
LONG SYNOPSIS
Filmmaker Elizabeth Ai embarks on a project to tell a story of joy and youthful defiance as she explores a musical phenomenon in the 1980s known to Vietnamese American teens as new wave. As she delves into the lives of family members and icons of the new wave scene, she uncovers much more than just music and fashion. In the heart of Orange County, California, this counterculture movement takes the youth by storm, becoming a sanctuary for rebellious teens. The fun Euro-synth dance beats and punk/goth aesthetics mask deep traumas—broken dreams and unfulfilled expectations that have shaped her community.
The joyful memories of her uncles and aunts sneaking out to this underground scene clash with her own painful childhood, haunted by her mother’s abandonment. As the filmmaker digs deeper, the excavation becomes an emotional journey, unraveling mysteries that touch on cultural identity, generational trauma, and the Vietnam War’s lasting impact. The exploration transforms from a love letter to her community into a cathartic process for the filmmaker. By confronting these buried emotions, the film takes us on a soulful journey that binds wounds, celebrates resilience, and offers new beginnings.
Writer & Director Elizabeth Ai
Producers ELIZABETH AI, p.g.a., RACHEL SINE, p.g.a
Executive Producers Simu Liu, Diane Quon, Geeta Gandbhir, Robina Riccitiello, C.Y. Lee, Linh Song, Dug Song
Co-Producers So Yun Um, Betty Hang
Editors HEE-JAE PARK, NANCY NGUYEN, SAMUEL RONG, CHRISTINA SUN KIM
Cinematographer Bryant Swanstrom
composers Greg Bernall, Chris Upton
film participants Ian “DJ BPM” Nguyen, Lynda Trang Đài, Elizabeth Ai
FESTIVALS
2024: Tribeca (World Premiere), DC/DOX
AWARDS
Special Jury Mention for Best New Documentary Director (Tribeca)
Audience Award (Austin Asian American)
AICEF Prize for Cross-Cultural Filmmaking (Middlebury New Filmmakers)
AVAILABLE TERRITORIES
The World
EXHIBITION FORMATS
DCP, Digital Download
PRESS KIT
Download Press Kit
AVAILABLE PRESS IMAGES (click to preview)
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