Bitterroot is a film that delves into the quiet yet profoundly emotional life of Lue, a Hmong man grappling with the aftermath of a failed marriage. Seeking solace and a fresh perspective, Lue cares for his aging mother in the serene landscape of rural Montana. After losing his job, he retreats further from his family and discovers that the spirit world may still hold weight over his life. In confronting the buried pain that destroyed his marriage, Lue embarks on a journey of self-discovery, reminding audiences of the essential role community plays in healing.
Directed by Vera Brunner-Sung (2015 CAAM Fellow) and produced by YEEJ and Kazua Melissa Vang, Bitterroot is a poignant narrative centered on community. The filmmakers aimed to create an authentic story that resonates with its audience—particularly the Hmong people—while fostering collaboration both behind and in front of the camera.
A Story Rooted in Identity and Place
As someone who grew up between two cultures, Korean and Swiss director Brunner-Song often explores themes of identity and place in her work. After moving to Montana, she connected with the local Hmong community, including producer YEEJ, who helped bring this story to life. In a conversation with Brunner-Sung, she shared her desire to explore the presence—or absence—of Asian faces in the contemporary American West. She wanted to find a story that felt true and had some kind of authentic resonance for the community in Missoula, Montana.
“You just show life… and it feels powerful,” Brunner-Sung said.
Throughout Bitterroot, audiences witness Lue’s everyday life—working, caring for his mother, tending her garden, and singing at karaoke bars. His mother, Song, spends her days gardening and listening to Hmong radio news. Lue’s sister May is portrayed by NBC Bay Area anchor/reporter Gia Vang. The film highlights cultural traditions and practices within the Hmong community while underscoring Lue’s journey toward finding himself through connection with others.
Lue also finds companionship in Eddie, another individual on her own journey of healing from past wounds. Brunner-Sung said she wanted these two characters to find each other as part of exploring when and how people need one another.
“It’s another one of these big things about American identity… Are we stronger on our own, or are we stronger together? That’s a big part of the myth of American identity—going at it alone,” Brunner-Sung said.
For Hmong people, however, community has always been central to their way of life. “Hmong people—we’re all about relationships,” Producer Kazua Melissa Vang said. “When you meet new Hmong people, they’ll ask: ‘Who are your mom and dad? Which clan do you belong to?’” This sense of kinship fosters warmth within Hmong communities and serves as a reminder that no one is truly alone.
The Hmong Experience: History and Resilience
The Hmong people have historically relied on tight-knit communities for survival. Originally indigenous tribes from China known as “Miao” or “Meo,” they migrated to Southeast Asia due to political oppression. Many Hmong Americans today trace their roots to Laos, Thailand, or Vietnam as their ancestral homeland.
While most people know of the Vietnam War, the Hmong people were involved with a lesser-known part of the conflict in Southeast Asia, known as the Secret War in Laos (1961–1973). The Hmong were recruited by the CIA to fight alongside the Americans in the Secret War. After realizing their defeat, U.S. forces withdrew, leaving the Hmong to fend for themselves. As the Hmong faced persecution and genocide by communist forces in Laos, many fled as refugees to Thailand before resettling in countries like the United States, France, and Australia. Chain migration led to concentrated Hmong communities in cities such as Minneapolis-St. Paul; Fresno, California; and Sacramento, California. Interestingly, Missoula, Montana was one of the first U.S. cities where Hmong refugees settled around the 1970s. While many have since relocated for greater opportunities elsewhere, Missoula’s small but resilient Hmong community continues to uphold its traditions. With everything the Hmong people have endured, it’s no wonder that community is at the forefront of their livelihood.
Spirituality as a Path to Healing
Spirituality plays a significant role in Lue’s journey in Bitterroot. For many Hmong communities who still practice shamanism today, shamans serve as healers who can travel between the spirit world and the living world. A shaman’s ritual may involve calling back a wandering soul believed to have left someone’s physical being due to illness or emotional distress. In a way, a soul calling in the Hmong culture represents a coming home to one’s self. Vang emphasized that while shamanism isn’t central to the film’s plot, it deeply shapes its characters’ values and relationships.
“It gives these people more nuances and shapes to their characters with their values,” Vang said, “Shamanism drives certain parts of it—into relationships rather than driving the plot.”
While Lue spends time singing in bars or hunting for morels in the forest, Song calls on her ancestors and her late husband for strength. In one pivotal scene during a soul-calling ceremony, Lue is surrounded by family members who tie strings around his wrists while offering blessings and well wishes. This ritual is not only for Lue but also for his entire family—a collective act of healing.
There is a journey toward connection, or reconnection, that resonated for me in this story,” said Brunner-Song in a news release. “The spirit world is always present, if just beyond our awareness.”
While not all Hmong Americans practice shamanism today, the filmmakers chose to incorporate shamanism into the story, because the majority of the Hmong community in Missoula still practice it. “We really wanted to respect the community from Missoula… and take these words from the shaman from there… ” said Vang of the chants heard in the film. The filmmakers also intentionally featured a female shaman—a reflection of Missoula’s Hmong community, where most shamans are women.
Community at the Core
Community was central to Bitterroot’s narrative and production process. Feedback from Missoula’s Hmong community played a critical role throughout development. “We knew we wanted to go back to the community early on before we even shot the film… We wanted them to have a say on the story,” said producer YEEJ.
Although Bitterroot was crafted with Missoula’s Hmong community as its core audience, its creators hope it resonates globally. “I hope that when people watch this film, they can find a little bit of themselves in some of the characters,” YEEJ remarked. “This film goes beyond just a Hmong man and his troubling past, it represents anyone going through self-discovery.”
A Call for Connection
After debuting at major festivals like the Tribeca Film Festival 2024—where New York City’s local Hmong community showed up—the filmmakers are now exploring ways to share Bitterroot with international audiences.
Vang poses the question, “Where do Hmong people watch stuff? And I’m including people from Thailand, Vietnam, Laos—the key is YouTube!”
Before reaching global viewers online or elsewhere, Bitterroot will continue its festival journey with its Bay Area premiere at CAAMFest 2025 on Saturday, May 10 at the AMC Kabuki theater. The film also received funding from CAAM, with support from the Wallace H. Coulter Foundation.
“We’re really at the beginning of sharing this with people… I’m excited for it to continue having its life through audiences’ eyes,” Brunner-Sung remarked.
By showcasing Bitterroot, its creators hope to inspire connection across communities worldwide—a reminder that we need each other. In an increasingly divided world, Bitterroot serves as a testament to the power of communal practices as acts of resistance—and ultimately as pathways toward healing.
Pa-Zong Bina Lee is a communications professional, passionate about pop culture and storytelling through various mediums that generate cultural momentum. As a proud Hmong American and daughter of refugees, she is dedicated to uplifting the stories and cultural heritage that have shaped her people’s journey and identity.
