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Bitterroot

@bitterroot_film

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After a painful divorce, a Hmong man in Montana ignores the advice of his traditional mother, who senses greater forces at work.
#BitterrootFilm

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Some wounds don’t heal on their own.

In the quiet forests of Montana, a man clings to routine as his life slowly unravels. After losing his job, he turns to mushroom foraging deep in wildfire scarred mountains, searching for money, escape, and something he can’t quite name. As distance grows between him and his mother, buried grief begins to surface, forcing a choice between staying closed off or finally facing the truth.

A powerful, poetic look into the Hmong community and the weight of unspoken pain.

“Superbly crafted. The film’s pristine confidence is undeniable.”
“One of the most uplifting films of the year.”
“A cinematic feat that pushes forward the narratives we need today.”
“An impassioned, poetic depiction with deeply authentic rhythms.” by @bitterroot_film

Join us for a free film screening of BITTERROOT directed by Vera Brunner-Sung.

Reeling from a failed marriage and seeking solace and a new perspective, a Hmong man cares for his aging mother amidst the deceptively tranquil landscape of rural Montana.

Mekong Journeys: Stories of Abundance
BITTERROOT Film Screening
📅 Saturday, May 2, 2026
⏰ 4:00 - 6:00 p.m.
📍Trylon Cinema @ 2820 E 33rd St, Minneapolis, MN
🔗 Registration is required. Link in the bio

Video courtesy of Icarus Films. by @bitterroot_film

We're so excited about our free upcoming film screenings and we want to share a bit more about the directors behind the films.

Tony Nguyen is an Oakland-based filmmaker whose work explores the Vietnamese refugee experience and the overlooked stories of folks and communities in the Town. He is the video producer for Asian Health Services, a community health center with roots in Oakland Chinatown that serves over 50,000 residents. His latest film, YEAR OF THE CAT, premiered in late April 2025, coinciding with the 50th anniversary of the Fall of Saigon, and has garnered several awards, including the Spotlight Award at the Viet Film Fest in Orange County.

Vera Brunner-Sung was born in Michigan to parents from Korea and Switzerland. Her work across experimental, nonfiction, and narrative explores belonging and American identity. Her films have been presented at festivals, museums, and galleries in the U.S. and abroad, including Sundance, Rotterdam, CPH:DOX, MoMA PS1, and Leeum Samsung Museum of Art. She is the recipient of fellowships from the Center for Asian American Media and the Sundance Institute. BITTERROOT is her second feature.

Watch their films:
📅 Apr 25 | 4-6 PM — YEAR OF THE CAT
📅 May 2 | 4-6 PM — BITTERROOT
📍The Trylon Cinema | 2820 E 33rd St, Mpls, MN
🔗 Registration is required. Link in the bio

Tony Nguyen and other Southeast Asian filmmakers will be attending the Roundtable Discussion on 4/29 at 120 Pillsbury Hall at UMN.
🔗 Registration is required. Link in the bio by @bitterroot_film

Join us for screenings of YEAR OF THE CAT and BITTERROOT.

All events are FREE. Registration is required.

Mekong Journeys: Stories of Abundance is our film screening series highlighting Southeast Asian filmmakers and the stories they capture. We will also host a roundtable discussion facilitated by Palita Chunsaengchan, Assistant Professor of the University of Minnesota Department of Asian and Middle Eastern Studies.

ROUNDTABLE DISCUSSION

📅 Apr 29 | 5:30-7:30 PM – Featuring filmmakers Tony Nguyen, Elizabeth Wijaya, Kazua Melissa Vang, and Nhàn Tran
📍UMN Liberal Arts Engagement Hub | 120 Pillsbury Hall, 310 Pillsbury Dr. SE Mpls, MN

FILM SCREENINGS

📅 Apr 25 | 4-6 PM — YEAR OF THE CAT
📅 May 2 | 4-6 PM — BITTERROOT
📍The Trylon Cinema | 2820 E 33rd St, Mpls, MN

Register at seadproject.org/mekongjourneys by @bitterroot_film

UPDATE! We’re thrilled to announce that we are working with @icarusfilms_ to distribute BITTERROOT for screenings at museums, libraries, and universities. Are you an educator, curator, or librarian interested in booking a screening or acquiring the film for your collection? Please visit https://icarusfilms.com/if-bitter for more information. And stay tuned for more ways to watch! by @bitterroot_film

Many thanks to the Rutgers Filmmaking Center and Mason Gross School of the Arts for recently hosting director @vernababylon! We had a great screening of BITTERROOT and conversation with Prof. @carojinkey and students. Thank you to @stitch_ley for 📸! by @bitterroot_film

✨ CENTERPIECE PROGRAM: FAMILY SPIRIT ✨
🗓️ Saturday, June 21 | ⏰ 6:00 PM
📍 Broadway Performance Hall

Peppered with just a little dark comedy and magical realism, these films explore the scars that relationships leave behind when they go away, and the enduring connections of family and kinship. Please join us as we celebrate our family spirit.

🎬 Ah-Ma Burns
Directed by Max Kane @kanemax_
United States | 2023 | Narrative Short | 13 min | PNW Premiere

Winnie, an ailing Chinese grandma, embarks on a journey to reunite with her late husband.

🎬 Bitterroot @bitterroot_film
Directed by Vera Brunner-Sung
United States | 2024 | Narrative Feature | 86 min

Reeling from a failed marriage and seeking solace and a new perspective, a Hmong man cares for his aging mother and tries to find hope again amidst the deceptively tranquil landscape of rural Montana.

👉 To buy tickets, check out the link in bio or head to bit.ly/saaff2025
#SAAFF2025 by @bitterroot_film

I wanted to take this time to Thank @pablo_oto and everyone at The @walkerartcenter for giving us space to not only screen @bitterroot_film but also feature talented Filmmakers within the Twin Cities to share their stories. What an honor it was to co-curate such a beautiful line up of Hmong filmmakers. To everyone who was able to attend, Thanks! To the Bitterroot Team, you are all so amazing. To the Hmong Filmmakers, I am so inspired by each and everyone of you. & to the youth Filmmakers, keep telling your stories. Your voice is so powerful and I know you both will do great things in life.

#50years #Hmong #hmongfilmmakers #artist by @bitterroot_film

Alongside screening BITTERROOT at the @walkerartcenter, two of the Producers, @kazuamvang and @yeejtheartist had the opportunity to curate a Hmong filmmakers showcase. This was based off of the apprenticeship model that the team put in place in the production of BITTERROOT.

Please join us this Thursday, May 22nd at 7:00pm for the Hmong Filmmakers Showcase and come early for a workshop held by textile artist, @tshabher .

This is a free event but RSVPing for a seat is recommended.
RSVP at the link: https://secure.walkerart.org/13976 by @bitterroot_film

We have a screening at @faaimchicago’s Asian American Showcase!

📅 Tuesday, May 20 | Begins at 6:00 PM !
📍 Gene Siskel Film Center
🎟️ Get your tickets now → www.faaim.org

@filmcenter @vernababylon @kazuamvang @yeejtheartist @weiyoung01 @qu.kue
#FAAIM #AsianAmericanShowcase #FilmFestival #FilmFest #AAPI #AANHPI #Chicago #HmongAmerican #Hmong #AAPIHeritageMonth #AAPIHM by @bitterroot_film

We had such a wonderful event at @walkerartcenter last night!! Terrific q&a with @pablo_oto, @vernababylon, and our MN team @yeejtheartist @kazuamvang @tsuab.yang @teeseekay @randy.xyooj and @phasoua. Thank you to our wonderful audience. One more screening happens tonight! Then come back on Thursday 5/22 for the Hmong Filmmakers Showcase and workshop with @tshabher! by @bitterroot_film

Tonight is the night! Join us at @walkerartcenter for two screenings of BITTERROOT. Tonight, Friday, May 16th at 7:00pm (with a Q & A) and tomorrow, Saturday, May 17th at 7:00pm.

Tickets at the link: https://walkerart.org/calendar/2025/bitterroot-by-vera-brunner-sung/ by @bitterroot_film