SENSE OF PLACE, A

An intimate portrait of four Vietnamese Australians who, for the past 30 years, have searched to build their identity and home in Australia.

A Buddhist nun, a fashion designer, a student and a playwright – their paths have never crossed yet they have common experiences in their struggle for identity, maintaining a connection to their cultural roots and reconciling two worlds – Vietnam and Australia.

Just over 30 years ago, the first wave of non-European refugees – Vietnamese refugees - arrived in Australia. Their homeland had been torn apart by war and most were not looking for a new life, rather an escape from social chaos and uncertainty. For many people, leaving was traumatic and the escapades on a small boat made of timber often ended in tragedy. For those who made it, many without their families, a wait of many months in squalid camps followed before they were offered a new homeland in Australia. In this documentary, we meet four Australian Vietnamese people: Dominic Golding, a playwright; Sister Hue Can, a Buddhist Nun; Alistair Trung, a fashion designer; and Margaret Nguyen, a student. Through candid interviews interlaced with dramatic archival footage, the stories of these four very different personalities illuminate the pathway for us all towards achieving "a sense of place".

Produced and directed by Maria Ferris

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