Having grown up in a small Indiana town, I am continually thankful to now live in a larger city where it's possible to see great independent movies on the big screen and not have to wait for the video (and watch on the small screen). I was lucky enough to see "Catfish in Black Bean Sauce" (a movie written, directed, produced and acted in by Chi Moui Lo) at the recent World Fest Houston. This is a warm, funny and human story about a Vietnamese brother and sister who are separated from their parents during the fall of Saigon. They are adopted and raised in the U.S. by African-American parents (played excellently by Paul Winfield and Mary Alice). The sister (played by Lauren Tom) doesn't embrace the American culture as readily as her brother (Chi Moui Lo)and continues to search for her mother (Tzi Ma). When she finds her and brings her to the U.S., the cultural shockwaves begin causing tremors in everybody's relationships (including that of her brother's roomate). As I said, it is a very warm and human story spiced with a humor that is often hilarious. If you get the chance to see this movie, definitely go. It is well worth the effort it sometimes takes to see an independent film.
Review of Catfish in Black Bean Sauce
