Pulau Bidong sits off the coast of Peninsular Malaysia. It may be a small island, but its legacy stretches across the globe, shaped by conflict and migration.
About 250,000 people passed through the island during the Indochina refugee crisis. Yet I never learned about it in school, and rarely heard people talk about it in Malaysia (and when they did, their words were often laced with xenophobia). It was only when I met Khoa — halfway across the world in the United States — that I came to know the island’s history.
This film was our way of exploring that legacy. For me, it was a chance to learn about Malaysian history and our role in global resettlement programs. For Khoa, it was a way to learn about family history – what it means to flee conflict and rebuild a life – but also to question what it means to live the American Dream.
The Indochina refugee crisis may be over, but the term "boat people" persists in other contexts. As governments push boats back to sea and politicians talk of building walls, we hope this film will encourage a bit more empathy towards those fleeing persecution, and show how well people can do when given the right support.
We’ve been fortunate to screen this film at the SEAxSEA Film Festival and Viet Film Fest – two wonderful initiatives that celebrate Southeast Asian stories and voices — but it’s time we put it out there. For those who passed through the island, for their children, for anyone interested in the history of this little island.
