The Voice of Conscience: The Filmmaking Journey of an Anti-War American Pilot
Director Pham Thuy Linh shared insights into the making of her Silver Lotus Award-winning documentary, revealing a moving story about conscience and reconciliation from Hoa Lo Prison.
A 3-year journey and the Silver Lotus Award
The documentary "The Voice of Conscience" by director Pham Thuy Linh (Lina Pham), a reporter for the Foreign Affairs Television Department of Vietnam Television, was honored with the Silver Lotus Award at the 24th Vietnam Film Festival. The film chronicles Tom Wilber's 10-year journey to uncover the truth about his father, an American pilot shot down in Vietnam in 1968, who raised a strong anti-war voice after receiving humane treatment at Hoa Lo prison camp.
Sharing her thoughts after the awards ceremony, director Pham Thuy Linh expressed her surprise and honor. "I even trembled with surprise! The voice of conscience was honored with the Silver Lotus Award by the prestigious jury of the Vietnam Film Festival. For an 'amateur' like me, that is a stroke of luck and an honor," she said.
A fateful encounter and a historical story.
The journey to make the film began with a chance encounter three winters ago, when an American man named Tom Wilber approached her and told her the story of his late father. Initially, the sheer volume of information about historical events and figures was overwhelming for Thuy Linh, but her intuition compelled her to delve deeper.
"The more I learned, the more captivating it became. I understood that there were Americans willing to raise their voices against the war from prison, to stand with us," the director shared. She realized that this story was not just the tragedy of one family, but also reflected an era, a society, where American soldiers had to struggle with their own conscience.
Seeking the voices of the last remaining witnesses.
One of the biggest challenges of the project was finding historical witnesses, many of whom were already elderly. The team met with key figures such as Mr. Tran Trong Duyet, former warden of Hoa Lo prison (who was 95 years old at the time), and photographer Chu Chi Thanh.
"I realized that if I didn't make this film immediately, they wouldn't have any more time," Thuy Linh said. Thanks to that urgency, the film was able to capture valuable insights into Vietnam's humanitarian policies towards American prisoners of war, as well as their lives in prison camps.
A message about conscience and courage.
The film delves into the motivations behind American soldiers' decision to go against the crowd, accepting severe consequences to speak out against the war. According to the director, the answer lies in the "court of conscience," from which no one can escape.
Despite facing criticism that the topic is too sensitive, Thùy Linh remains determined to pursue it. She hopes to offer the international public a perspective from Vietnam, based on careful arguments and evidence. "When actions are based on integrity and conscience, sooner or later people will reap the rewards of that courage," she asserted.
The Silver Lotus Award is a great motivation for director Pham Thuy Linh to continue her journey in documentary filmmaking. She hopes that the story of courage and reconciliation in "The Voice of Conscience" will be widely shared with audiences both domestically and internationally.
