Synopsis
Divorced and recently laid off, a Hmong man in western Montana attempts to keep up appearances while avoiding pressure to remarry. Sensing something wrong, his mother consults a shaman, whose advice he ignores. As tensions mount within his family, he escapes to the mountains to pick morels. There, an encounter with a stranger challenges him to imagine a new way forward—and come to terms with the shameful secret he’s been hiding all along. Attentive to both the nuances of Hmong-American culture and the distinct landscape of western Montana, Bitterroot explores the complex experiences of former refugees once physical barriers are overcome.
The focus of a script read at the 2019 Montana Film Festival, Bitterroot is the hotly anticipated follow-up to writer/director Vera Brunner-Sung’s debut Bella Vista. Bitterroot received a Special Jury Mention for Cinematography in a US Feature at the 2024 Tribeca Film Festival.
Screenings
Q&A with writer/director Vera Brunner-Sung, actress April Charlo and producers Melissa Vang and YEEJ to follow both screenings
10/4 at 5:15p | Theater 2
10/5 at 2:15p | Theater 2
Buy TicketsAbout
86 minutes
Director: Vera Brunner-Sung
Producers: Giulia Caruso, Karin Chien, Kazua Melissa Vang, Ki Jin Kim, YEEJ
Country of Origin: USA
MTFF Alumni, MT Location, MT Cast & Crew
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