At the age of 13, my father left his homeland, Laos, seeking a brighter future in the United States. Throughout the years, he devoted himself to supporting his family, seldom sharing the details of his past. This film intimately explores the experiences that shaped his understanding of love.

Director Biography - Nkaujoua Xiong

Nkaujoua Xiong is a Hmong filmmaker based in Milwaukee, WI, with a heart for learning and sharing stories. She recently collaborated with the Hmong American Women's Association (HAWA) to showcase their efforts in uplifting Southeast Asian girls and the LGBTQ+ community. She currently works as a freelance filmmaker on local productions and as a part-time stagehand/assistant lighting director. Her main career goal is to capture and showcase Hmong, immigrant, and BIPOC stories.

Director Statement

I remember the day I asked my dad, for the first time in my life, what his dream was. It was the summer before sophomore year of college, and I was working a part-time painting gig with my dad. We had forgotten our lunch that day, so we stopped at a gas station Arby’s. As we waited in line, my dad handed me money and told me to order whatever I wanted and to get him the “burger with bacon in it”. When we got our food, my dad chose the seats by the window, far from everyone else. We ate in silence. My dad didn’t say anything. I mustered up the courage to ask him in Hmong, “Dad, what’s your dream?” He looked at me in shock, like he’s never been asked this question before. “My dream?” he responded in English. He thinks. “My dream is to own a business whether it’s painting or fixing cars,” he says in Hmong. He sighs. “But I don’t think it’ll happen because I can’t read, write, or speak in English very well.”

After that interaction and with the pursuit of this documentary, I really wanted to get to know my dad more and understand where he came from as well as where he wishes to go.