Fruits of Peace
Jeff, Roland, Stephen, and Roy’s father’s plane was shot down in North Viet Nam, and he never came home after being classified as a Prisoner of War, but 50 years later those principal people involved with their father’s plane being shot down have invited the four sons to Viet Nam to walk in their father’s footsteps with those that were involved that day.
“The road from peace to war is often too short, and the road from war to the fruits of peace is often too long.”
Ronald R. Fogleman, General USAF, Retired.
Chief of Staff, United States Air Force, Retired
Misty pilot
Official Trailer
The Story...
January 1966, an elite North Vietnamese anti aircraft gun unit shoots down an American reconnaissance plane, and tracks and captures the pilot, USAF Col. Wilmer Grubb. He is held alive and unharmed until the next morning when higher authorities come and take custody of him.
50 years later Du Pham, an officer in that North Vietnamese unit, visits the United States to reconnect with an estranged brother whom he fought against during the Vietnam-American war. Du Pham hadn’t seen his brother since his brother’s 1985 release after spending 10 years in a political re-education camp. Du Pham also wishes to visit with Col. Grubb, but while in the USA, he learns that Col. Grubb died in captivity and never made it home to his wife and four sons.
As Du Pham discusses this with his close friends, they become compelled to investigate further. Du Pham, a history teacher by profession, takes action revisiting the location in central Viet Nam where the plane was shot down. He and 6 other members of his unit meet with those directly involved and recall together the events pertaining to Col. Grubb’s capture and care at the time. They begin to doubt the authenticity of a well-known and widely published photo showing Col. Grubb with a Vietnamese nurse treating his knee. This photo is purported to be moments after his capture. In fact that same photo represents an iconic image for his Army group's annual directory and reunion. The photo is also part of a large mural outdoor mural in the nearby village.
Recognizing the parallels between his own family’s struggles and those of Col. Grubb’s family, Du Pham realizes first hand the importance that lasting information has for loved ones and how sharing can be a pathway to healing.
Du Pham writes a letter to the Grubb family making himself available to provide any information, and invites the four Grubb sons, Jeff, Roland, Stephen, and Roy to visit Viet Nam to walk in their father’s footsteps with those that were involved with the events of that that day in 1966.
Upon receiving Du Pham’s letter, the Grubb sons begin to accept that the information void which has weighed on them throughout the past 50 years is being thrust to the forefront of their present day lives. It drudges up the pains from the past. It does offer, however, an insight into a period of their lives that has always been a mystery. Both parties feel that if they can find a way for the families to deal with one another so too can the peoples of the two countries.
The four Grubb sons accept Du Pham’s invitation and will to visit him in Viet Nam in April 2015.
Executive Producers: Michael Chiplock, Kevyn Settle
Co-Producer: Shirine Hossaini
Contributing Producers: Rachel Miner, Carlin Camp O’Brien, Nhat Bahn
Writers: Michael Chiplock, Kevyn Settle
Director: Kevyn Settle
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Winner
Joe Cantwell Award for Excellence in Documentary Filmmaking, Alexandria Film Festival
Silver Remi for Historical Documentary Filmmaking, 54th WorldFest Houston Int’l Film Festival
Excellence Award in Human Spirit, Docs withouth Borders Film Festival
Merit Award, Impact Docs Film Festival
Finalist Documentary Feature, Flickers Rhode Island International Film Festival
