During the Vietnam War, the U.S. military sprayed some 12 million gallons of Agent Orange herbicide over Vietnam. This defoliant was used to immediately destroy crops, clear vegetation, and remove the dense forest that provided food and cover for Viet Cong forces. At least 4.5 million Vietnamese, and 2.5 million American veterans, may have been exposed to the herbicide. Although the spraying ended 40 years ago, the dioxin from Agent Orange is still wreaking havoc on three generations of victims.
The Leaves Keep Falling is an intimate portrait of two Vietnamese families whose children are severely disabled due to exposure to the dioxin in Agent Orange. They are among millions of people who continue to suffer the devastating health and environmental consequences of the herbicide. The film takes place outside the city of Da Nang, a “hotspot” where dioxin levels are more than 365 times acceptable levels. Witness the day-to-day struggles of caring for victims of a war that won’t seem to end.
Running Time: 16 Minutes 37 Seconds
Release Date: 2010
2011 Artivist Film Festival
Environmental Preservations Short Award
2011 Media That Matters Film Festival
Human Rights Award
2010 UNICEF Photo of the Year
1st Place - Ed Kashi
Partners
Children of Vietnam
The Ford Foundation
Vietnam Association of Victims of Agent Orange/Dioxin
Vietnam Reporting Project
Additional Resources
Agent Orange Record
The Aspen Institute US-Vietnam Dialogue and Exchange Initiative on Agent Orange/Dioxin
Make Agent Orange History
War Legacies Project