THE SOUND OF HEALING

DOCUMENTARY

Documentary Project by Alcina Tran, Conscious Music Artist & Sound Healer

Note to Viewer: As the project continues to unfold, the content will evolve as well. Site Last Updated: May 31, 2024

Join us on a life-changing journey that promotes art, culture and generational healing for global impact...

Overview

Film a Vietnamese-Cambodian American documentary that promotes generational healing through the quest of exploring the ancient sounds of Vietnam and Cambodia. Leveraging the power of sound for healing, incorporate the ancient sounds into a new modern-day conscious music album. This pioneering project is intended to have a global impact through education, inspiration, and healing.

The completion of this project is intended to be completed in 2025: 50 years since the end of the Vietnam War and 50 years since the fall of Phnom Penh to the Khmer Rouge.

Logline

Confronted by the lasting impact of war and the hard truth of ignorance, an artist goes on a quest in search of the untold ancient sounds of Vietnam and Cambodia, only then does she realize the depth of the calling that brings healing to generations of others like her.

Synopsis

When a friend suggests to Alcina to listen to Vietnamese music for artistic inspiration, it is apparent that she knows very little about that part of her culture. Born in America, as a child of Vietnam War survivors and like many other descendents of the Vietnamese and Cambodian diaspora, Alcina’s fluency in both cultures, language and history are limited.

Known for her healing music, Alcina sees her ignorance as an opportunity to explore and educate herself as an artist. She embarks on a project to share her quest in Vietnam and Cambodia in search of the motherlands’ ancient sounds, from which she draws inspiration for the making of a new conscious music album. The new music album infuses tradition with modern through the lens as a second-generation Vietnamese-Cambodian American.

In pursuit of her search, the adventure reveals challenges and life-changing lessons around cultural identity, generational trauma, and the lasting repercussions of war. What starts out as a seed of desire to know more transforms into a profound healing journey that transcends beyond time and space, bridging the gap between generations and countries.

Important Topics This Project

Brings Awareness To

1. GAP IN CULTURAL

KNOWLEDGE

When you ask the average American, what comes to mind when you hear “Vietnam” or “Cambodia”? Chances are, more often than not, the answer is “war” and MAYBE “genocide.” These past events were dark times. There is an opportunity to offer another perspective ofVietnam and Cambodia. We want people to hear “Vietnam” and “Cambodia” and go, “Hey! Did you see that documentary on Netflix about Vietnam and Cambodia? It’s inspiring AF. You gotta watch it.” The first we thought we want people associate Vietnam and Cambodia with is its rich culture, not traumatic stories of the past.

As the Vietnamese and Cambodian diaspora become more and more assimilated in western countries, the gap in knowledge of their motherland’s history, culture and language will continue to widen. We are already witnessing this in the second-generation Americans, where many do not speak the mother language. Culture is the spirit of the people, the land. Preserving culture is a necessity for the sake of humanity. The documentary and music from this project will be an evergreen product that captures a pivotal moment in time to be enjoyed the current generation and future generations.

2. HISTORICAL AND GENERATIONAL TRAUMA

Although the war has ended, Vietnamese and Cambodian descendants continue to live out the repercussions of war through historical and generational trauma. Evidence of trauma may show up in various ways, such as anger, anxiety, depression, PTSD, intergenerational poverty, lack of trust, scarcity/survival mindset, etc. This can impact how one experiences everyday life, work and family dynamics.

Research indicates that Asian Americans are the least likely racial group to seek mental health services, anywhere from 50% up to 60% least likely. Although these are statistics for all Asian Americans, it is accurate to say that mental health is still not a widely accepted concept Asian cultures. Some will also deny that there such kinds of issues. Personally, I cannot help but feel that historical and generational trauma play a large role in this. By telling new narratives and consciously leveraging the power of visual art and sound, we can help humanity heal.

3. LACK OF

REPRESENTATION

Personal Anecdote: Shortly after the release of my most recent EP, 'Amitabha,' many other Vietnamese women found me who expressed their gratitude for incorporating Vietnamese into the song. Many shared how the song made them feel to be felt "proud to be Vietnamese." The feeling when I hear this every time is indescribable. My heart is full and my eyes in tears. I thought I was alone. I used to not be proud to be Vietnamese. Sadly, when I was younger and didn't know better, I despised having "Tran" as a last time. For many reasons, it was not always "cool" to be Asian. Many of us didn't grow up seeing others who looked like us on TV. Many have felt guilt or shame or embarrassment without ever truly understanding our lineage or where we came from culturally. Lack of representation poses many challenges such as feeling marginalized and excluded and lack of cultural heritage, which erodes traditions, languages and customs over time.

Objectives and Intentions for This Project

1. EDUCATE

By going on this journey to Vietnam and Cambodia to explore the ancient sounds of the motherland, we will educate the diaspora and its viewers a part of history and culture one cannot simply “Google search” and appreciate the depth and richness.
This project will document a real life’s journey of a second-generation Vietnamese-Cambodian American artist who takes on this path without really knowing what she will experience or encounter. By showing how one can take a leap of faith into the unknown, there are invaluable life lessons here to unfold.

2. INSPIRE

Although we cannot change the past, we are responsible for the present day. To move forward from an empowered place, this means taking ownership. For those of any diaspora who may not know their family or ancestral roots, we want to show what is possible when you decide you ready to explore those parts of you. We want people to be inspired that even if they may feel disconnected from their roots, they can too reclaim their roots by taking inspired action.
Because Alcina has limited proficiency in the Vietnamese language and no fluency in the Khmer language, she will face many obstacles. Yet, because of her conscious choice to embark a project of this capacity, it will demonstrate the endless possibilities that are also applicable to the viewer.

3. HEAL

By educating and inspiring, inevitably, this documentary and the music that comes from this project will heal. This project will have a global impact. The art and messages from this project will promote both global and generational healing. It will uplift and empower people to take ownership of their lives.

The power of sound can heal. Scientific studies can confirm this;
here’s an example of ancient sound healing treatments for stress from the National Library of Medicine. What do you imagine is possible when we intentionally combine these ancient traditional sounds with conscious lyrics? This is groundbreaking work.
History has shown violence within and between both countries of Vietnam and Cambodia. This project will demonstrate the beauty of each and the union of both in a way that has never been done before. This will result in a way of healing we didn’t know we needed.