New Wave

  • Wednesday, Apr 9, 2025

    7:00 PM (88 mins)
    BAMPFA

    SOLD OUT

A limited number of wheelchair accessible spaces may still be available for this screening. Please contact bampfa@berkeley.edu if you would like a ticket for a wheelchair accessible space.



New Wave

Elizabeth Ai
United States, 2024

Copresented by the UC Berkeley Center for Southeast Asia Studies

In Conversation

  • Close-up portrait of Elizabeth Ai, an Asian woman with dark hair, red lipstick, and freckles, looking directly at the camera.
    Elizabeth Ai
  • Peter Zinoman, a balding white man with a beard and glasses, smiles in front of bookshelves filled with books.
    Peter Zinoman

    Peter Zinoman is a Professor of History and Southeast Asian Studies at UC Berkeley.

featuring

Elizabeth Ai, Ian “DJ BPM” Nguyen, Lynda Trang Dai,

Elizabeth Ai embarks on a journey to capture the vibrant spirit of a musical phenomenon that electrified Vietnamese American teens in the 1980s: New Wave. What begins as an exploration of the rebellion and freedom within this subculture evolves into a profound narrative of identity, loss, and healing. In Orange County, California, the synth beats and punk/goth aesthetics provided a sanctuary for a generation of youth grappling with the weight of their parents’ unspoken traumas. Fleeting moments of teenage rebellion became acts of defiance against the lingering shadows of the Vietnam War.

FILM DETAILS

Cinematographer

  • Bryant Swanstrom

Language

  • English
  • Vietnamese
  • with English subtitles

Print Info

  • Color
  • DCP
  • 88 mins

Source

  • Elizabeth Ai

Event Accessibility

If you have any questions about accessibility or need accommodations to attend this event, please contact us at bampfa@berkeley.edu or (510) 642-1412 (Wed–Sun, 11 AM–7 PM) as soon as you can. Advance notice helps us fulfill your request.

Learn more about accessibility services at BAMPFA.