CSI to Screen "The Last Ghost of War"

The Last Ghost of War will screen Wednesday, April 18 at 12:30pm in the College of Staten Island’s Williamson Theatre.

The film screening, which covers the impact of Agent Orange during the Vietnam War, will be followed by a discussion with the film’s director, the award-winning documentary producer Janet Gardner.

The film takes place at Tu Du Hospital in Saigon, where babies in a special unit have enlarged heads or have missing limbs.

Nguyen Thi Thu Linh, born without arms, writes with her feet.

A boy with a shrunken leg careens around the corridor in a wheelchair.

Thirty years after the end of the Vietnam War, they are among several million believed to be victims of Agent Orange. In The Last Ghost of War, we meet victims who are plaintiffs in a class action suit against 32 U.S. chemical companies. Attorneys, activists and scientists take us to a new battlefield.

These Vietnamese victims are seeking compensation and justice. The question is: were these dioxin-laden herbicides chemical weapons? If so, who should be held accountable in the wake of what was arguably the largest chemical warfare operation in history?

The Last Ghost of War is a presentation of the Center for Asian American Media with support from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. Kevin Kline narrates this compelling documentary, produced by Pham Quoc Thai and Janet Gardner. It was directed by Ms. Gardner.

Janet Gardner is known especially for her work on Southeast Asia. She is a veteran of NBC News’ The Today Show, WNBC TV’s NewsCenter 4, WRC TV’s News4 (Washington, DC), Conde Naste Publications, and The Cleveland Plain Dealer. Other publications to which she has contributed include The New York Times, The Boston Globe Magazine, The Philadelphia Inquirer, Philadelphia Magazine, and The Nation.

Ms. Gardner was a Casey Fellow for a program on children and violence, at The Casey Journalism Center for Children and Families at the University of Maryland. She has taught journalism at Rutgers University in Newark, New Jersey.

The Last Ghost of War was shot on location in Vietnam, France, and the United States over a two-year period. Running time is 57 minutes. The event is free and open to the public; the CSI Student Government and student activity fees sponsor it.

The College of Staten Island is located at 2800 Victory Boulevard. The Williamson Theatre is located in the Center for the Arts (1P) building.

EDITOR’S NOTE: Janet Gardner will be available for interview on the day of the event.