A powerful, extremely moving film that spawned an Asian American civil rights movement.

You will walk away from this movie with a deeper sense of pride and appreciation for what it means to be Asian in this country. It’s impossible not to. Christine Choy did an amazing job of directing this film.

During the Q and A session with the panel, Choy explained how she was able to convince Ronald Ebens to talk about the murder of Vincent Chin and why it was in his best interest to do so. After he was acquitted in the trial, Choy congratulated him on the verdict. Like the idiot he is, Ebens was speechless. He didn’t know how to react to an Asian woman congratulating him on becoming a free man.

Over time, Choy was able to build up a repoire with the murderer and racist. It worked just like she planned. She explained to him that she’s going to complete the film whether he talks or not, and that it was in his best interest to tell his side of the story. Ebens concluded that she was right and finally decided to be interviewed.

Ultimately, Ebens was ordered to pay 2-million dollars in a civil trial to Vincent’s mother. Money that she never received before her death. Ebens now spends his time in Nevada, one of the most debt friendly states in the nation.

There’s no question, justice failed Vincent Chin and his family. It’s tragic that it took his death to invoke a national movement for Asian civil rights. But just imagine where we’d be without it.

-Brian Ojima