The Friendship Village
(51 minutes) Canada/Vietnam
Director/Producer: Michelle Mason

Description:

Built on a former rice paddy near Hanoi, the Vietnam Village of Friendship stands not only as a symbol of peace and reconciliation, but as a testament to the potential for all people to come to terms with the past, heal the wounds of war, and create a better world.

Following the story of the village's founder, American veteran George Mizo, The Friendship Village takes us through his experiences of war's horror to the personal transformation that led to the birth of this remarkable village. Working alongside the Vietnamese general responsible for killing his entire platoon in 1968, George and other veterans from the U.S., Vietnam, France, Germany, Japan, Great Britain, and Australia are attempting to mitigate the ongoing effects of the toxic herbicide sprayed during the war. Their efforts are a powerful example of how average people can still make a profound difference in our increasingly globalized world. As such, the Vietnam Friendship Village has the potential to change not only the lives of the children who live in it and the men who build it, but all who come to understand its vision.

Biography:

Before becoming an independent filmmaker, Michelle Mason worked in international television news production for the CBC's London and Washington D.C. bureaus. She received a master’s degree in international journalism from London's City University after writing a master's thesis on the decline of investigative journalism in Britain. She has lived in London, Washington D.C., Berlin, and France, and has returned to her hometown Vancouver to focus on making films that reflect the tolerance and insight of the Canadian experience at home and abroad.

Contact Information:

John Hoskyns-Abrahall, President
Bullfrog Films
P.O. Box 149
Oley, PA 19547
Phone: 800-543-FROG
Email: john@bullfrogfilms.com
http://www.bullfrogfilms.com