Return to Dak To
- Directed by: Christopher Upham
- Released: 2017 (educational)
SYNOPSIS
Five army veterans journey back to contemporary Vietnam, intending to put their war experiences to rest.
Disturbed by the new American wars, writer and Vietnam veteran Christopher Upham reconnects with his old battalion, the 299th Engineers. Upham's long lost comrades tell him an unsettling truth - they thought that he was dead - killed in the 1969 Dak To siege in Vietnam's Central Highlands. Upham and four Engineer comrades confront ghosts, former enemies and the legacies of the Vietnam War. Questions raised by Return to Dak To - about the role of soldiers and the long term personal effects of war - take on a heightened poignancy in this current climate.
ACADEMIC REVIEWS
"Libraries with video collections on the Vietnam War or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) will find this film to be a valuable addition. Well done!" - Library Journal
“This short documentary would be useful for illuminating topics like PTSD, returning veterans and for a sampling of the Vietnam War experience. Recommended.” - Education Media Reviews Online, Michael Schau, Seminole State College, Sanford, FL
"Return to Dak To is one of those necessary stories about war and it's even more terrible aftermath that needs to be told again and again. Christopher Upham has a fine eye for directing and editing and a wonderfully imaginative regard for telling history in a way that brings the characters of history alive. At it's heart, this is the story of those who were willing to make the greatest sacrifice for their country and who struggled to find honor in a dishonorable war. A great film for students and faculty alike. Bravo!" - Bruce Weigi, writer and educator
"Terrific." - Margaret Parsons, Film Curator for the National Gallery of Art