A Village Called Versailles

A Village Called Versailles is a 2009 feature documentary directed by S. Leo Chiang. The film explores the Versailles community, an isolated neighborhood in eastern New Orleans settled by Vietnamese refugees.

Production and Release

The documentary was produced by S. Leo Chiang, Brittney Shepherd, Eva Moss, and Koan Dao, with cinematography by S. Leo Chiang and Francis James. The film features interviews and coverage of community members including Father Vien Nguyen, Mimi Nguyen, Ngo Minh Khang, Minh Nguyen, and Mary Tran.

In 2009, the film was screened at the 29th Hawaii International Film Festival as part of the American Immigrant Filmmakers on Profile program. U.S. television rights were subsequently acquired by ITVS and Independent Lens, with a broadcast scheduled on PBS in the spring of 2010.

Subject Matter

The documentary details the community's response to Hurricane Katrina, noting how residents returned and rebuilt prior to many other flooded areas in New Orleans. It also chronicles their subsequent efforts to oppose a government-imposed toxic landfill planned near their neighborhood.