A film exploring the Vietnamese American new wave music scene of the 1980s is being screened at an exclusive event next month.
Asianati, the producers of Asian Food Fest and Asianati Night Market, and Lang Thang Group will be presenting a special one-night-only screening of New Wave, a 2024 documentary directed by Vietnamese American filmmaker Elizabeth Ai. The documentary screening will take place on Saturday, Sept. 6 at Kenwood Theatre, with a community celebration and after party at 13 Knives with music and food inspired by the film.
According to a press release, New Wave examines the youth subculture that emerged in Orange County, California, when Vietnamese refugee teens “turned to music, fashion, and dance as a form of joy, rebellion, and cultural identity.”
Asianati is hosting the film screening in honor of the 50th anniversary of Vietnamese resettlement in the U.S. After the fall of Saigon in 1975 during the Vietnam War, approximately two million Vietnamese refugees left the country to immigrate elsewhere — including to the U.S., which processed over 100,000 Vietnamese refugees in 1975 alone.
“This event is more than just a film screening. It’s a moment to reflect, celebrate, and uplift Vietnamese American stories,” said Lam Dang, Asianati Board Member, in a press release. “We’re excited to bring this to Cincinnati in a way that’s deeply personal and community driven.”
The evening will also include a kickoff for the Kickstarter campaign to fund the new documentary about Bao and Duy Nguyen, the brother duo behind Cincinnati’s Lang Thang Coffee.
The Lang Thang Coffee Kickstarter launch will take place from 6-9 p.m. on Sept. 6 at 13 Knives, followed by an after party celebrating the New Wave documentary from 9:30-midnight. The screening of New Wave will take place from 7:30-9 p.m. at Kenwood Theatre.
More information about New Wave: newwavedocumentary.com.
More information about Asianati: asianati.com.
This article appears in Jul 23 – Aug 5, 2025.