We Were the Scenery (2025)
Documentary, U.S.A. & Canada, 15minIn 1975, Hoa Thi Le and Hue Nguyen Che fled from Vietnam by boat and docked in the Philippines, where they were utilized as background extras during the filming of Apocalypse Now.
CREDIT
Written and Produced by Cathy Linh CheDirected by Christopher Radcliff
Produced by Jess X. Snow
Sound Designed and Mixed by Haina Zhou
AWARDSShortlist, 98th Academy Awards, Short Documentary Film, 2026
Winner, Short Film Jury Prize: Nonfiction, Sundance Film Festival, 2025
Winner, Special Jury Prize for Documentary Short, Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival, 2025
Winner, Best International Short Documentary Film, Galway Film Fleadh, 2025
Winner, Best International Short Dox, DokuFest, 2025
Winner, Excellence in Short Filmmaking Documentary and Audience Award, Asian American International Film Festival, 2025
Winner, Grand Jury Special Mention, International Section, Kaohsiung Film Festival, 2025
Winner, Air Canada Best Short Film or Video Award, ReelAsian Film Festival, 2025
Winner, Best Short Documentary, San Diego Asian Film Festival, 2025
Short List, DOC NYC, 2025
Nominee, Cinema Eye Honors, 2026
PRESSCriterion: The Other Side of the Apocalypse: A Conversation on We Were the Scenery
Short of the Week: We Were the Scenery
diaCRITICS: Viet Film Fest 2025: Select Shorts
ABC Action News: 14th annual BlackStar Film Fest. brings close to 100 films to Philadelphia
San Francisco Chronicle: CAAMfest Shows the Vietnam War Is Still in Our DNA a Half a Century Later
The Verge: Behind the Scenes: The Extras of Apocalypse Now
cinéSPEAK: Two Philly Filmmakers Take Home Awards at Sundance 2025
The Hollywood Reporter: Sundance Short Film Award Winners
KQED: Must-See Screenings at the 2025 SFFilm Festival
Sundance: 2025 Award Winners Announced
CHECK OUT THE PROJECT SITE
