Independent Lens; Visas and Virtue / I am Viet Hung / Silencio

eeeeeeeeee I'm a writer, director, and producer, and a mother.

Every filmmaker has a vision. That's what we have in common. If I don't tell this story, who will? Major funding for Vises and Virtue has been provided by Additional funding has been provided by And others, a complete list is available from PBS. We were married in 1935. We were married for 50 years.

I had plans for a career. I wanted to be an artist. I always knew my life would be different. She only always went his own way. His father wanted him to be a doctor. But he deliberately failed the exam. He wanted to be a diplomat. A diplomat's life agreed with us. When we settled into the consulate in Lithuania, We thought it would be a pleasant karma assignment. But we awoke one morning to allow disturbance from outside our gates. Germany's invasion of Poland has forced them to run. It's nothing but their will to live.

China decided to grant them Vises as many as he could write. But how much can one man risk? He's got it. Telegram. But the consul general, on Germany finds out what he's doing. He wouldn't know the bad man out there. Mitchon, he's underwent. Give him more water. Mitchon, get away from the window. Go with the bottle. They can't milk her to stomach. It's the strain of all this.

How was Haruki? I'm just tired, that's all. You're worried. Tune in. I'm fine. I'll bring in the next applicant. No, we should stop. So you can hire a son, another cable from Tokyo. Please. This is the fourth and final cable stop. You have exceeded your authority, stop.

Immediately cease issuing any further transit Vises, stop. Russia is alarmed at the number of Jews in transit, stop. The Vises bearing your seal are creating complete chaos in Siberia, stop. You are hereby recalled from your post in Countess, stop. Close the councillet and proceed to Berlin immediately, stop. No further inquiries. Signed Ketanaka for in ministry Tokyo. Fairly unequivocal. Tune in. You promised them that everyone would get a visa. If I lose my career, don't you care what happens to us? Tune in, if you stop. I'm issuing illegal visas. We'll lose everything, everything we've worked for. I can't believe I've read this, we've been.

Now you can't even nurse a rookie. Tune in. They walked from Poland. Look at the children. They'll be killed. If we do nothing, we're evil too. I can't open my hand. Yuki. I'm afraid. You're Samurai. Talk to help those in need. I'm a diplomat. Even the hunter cannot kill a bird which flies to him for refuge. The one thing you have is honor. Tune in. Keep writing. Samurai are also taught to sacrifice for their children.

Yuki. You have to rest. Our child needs you. But what if the children outside? Tune in. How do you think he will be fine? His mom cares too much. One more. One more visa. And no more. Please. Come with me. Before you meet my husband, may I offer you some advice?

Yes. My husband will ask you some questions. Please respond to every question with yes. With one exception. Banzai Nippong. Banzai Nippong. Banzai Nippong. Good afternoon. I'm Simba Sugihara. I'm the council general. I'm Nathan Rosen. This is my wife, Helena. Have a seat. It's a proceed. Could you please repeat your name?

Nathan Rosen. And your name? Helena Rosen. And your husband and wife? Yes. Do you have travel tickets to take you beyond Japan? Your Excellency. Sir. Yes. Do you have accommodations for your stay in Japan? Yes. Do you have enough money for the trip? Yes. Do you have relatives living in Japan? Yes. Do you speak Japanese, Mr. Rosen? Yes. Banzai Nippong. And you, Mrs. Rosen, do you speak Japanese? Banzai Nippong. Do you have any children?

Do you have any children? No. We had a baby. A son. I'm sorry. How did he die? Forgive me for asking, but if he died because of some disease, I may not be able to issue the transit visa. Last week, we were about 50 kilometers from Warsaw. We were captured by the Nazis. They crammed us into a church. There must have been 2,000 of us. We were stuffed like herring. The Nazis ordered everybody to lie down on the floor. They were yelling, screaming at us.

I was holding Michael. I was looking for a spot on the floor. When the Nazis started shooting everybody still standing. We all ran. It wasn't sane. About a kilometer from the church, Helena stopped me when she saw the blood on my arms. Somehow, the bullet had gone through Michael. How many children do you have? Three. Three boys. How old is the baby? Three months. Please forgive my wife.

We're both very tired. The baby is not well. He's always hungry. And she feels badly because she's unable to. Please excuse me. What are we doing here? Do you understand any of this? I don't know. He sounds like Michael. Why have you gone to take our baby?

I don't know. I don't understand. I know. My apologies. Trying to feasible take you across Siberia to Vladivostok and then on to Japan. How is your baby? He has trouble sleeping. I can help. It'll be fine. I have milk. I can nurse your baby. If he's sick, he needs milk. You're very kind, Mrs. Rosen. I can help.

I have milk. Let me do this. You're not just helping us. You're saving our lives. I lost my Michael. I have his milk. Your baby is sick. Your baby needs his milk. Let me do this. It's your decision. Thank you.

Please. The transit visa will allow you to take the Trans Siberian railway across Russia to the port city of Vladivostok. There you can board a ship that will take you to Japan. From Japan, you can travel to the Dutch colonies in the Caribbean. Thank you, Mr. Sugihara.

Thank you. In my family, we have this belief that the third child is an angel sent by God to remind us of the importance of life. I'm just obeying God. I'm just obeying God. What will happen to you?

I have a special invitation to visit Berlin. You. We will see our children grow up. Haruki is much better. I'll bring her to you in a few minutes if you care to wait in our living room. I will not forget you, Senpo Sugihara. The Jewish people do not forget their friends. May God be with you. We'll pray for your safety. Thank you. Thank you.

Thank you. Thank you. Haruki. Please send in the next applicant. He wrote visas for another week. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. When the Russian authorities closed the consulate, he wrote in our hotel. Yes.

Yes. Yes. Yes. Don't sign the contract. Leaving for Berlin, he wrote on the train platform. Please forgive me. I can't write anymore. We will not forget you. We will see you again. Yes. Yes.

We spent the rest of the war in Berlin and Bucharest. When it ended, we were put in prison camps for 16 months. When we returned to Japan, June was fired from the foreign ministry. He was disgraced. In 1947, Haruki, our angel died suddenly. Not once did June regret issuing the transit visas.

Stay tuned, coming up next on independent lands. I see the ancestral altar and the stage as the same. I deeply respect the stage because the stage is my soul.

Without it, I would have died. Because of singing, I live. I am Viet Heng, next. To learn more about visas in virtue and other programs in the independent land series, visit PBS.org. Major funding for visas in virtue has been provided by additional funding has been provided by and others. A complete list is available from PBS.

To purchase a video cassette copy of visas in virtue, please call the phone number or write to the address on the screen. I'm a writer, director, and producer and a mother. When I play a background, I was so convincing that the audience would run up to the stage and say, here, I give you money, I give you money.

When I played the villain, they were threatening me with a spitting pot saying, you better give me back my money or else I've trolled this thing at you. I play a defeated soldier and a woman said to me, son, son, I give you money. I took it and said, thank you, ma'am, but I'm afraid to spend it because if I play an evil cracked tomorrow, you would want it back.

Singing then was wonderful, wonderful. The audience was very close to you, not for they love you. When I step onto the stage, any stage, I played the lead. I played kings, villains, always the lead. Historical dramas, contemporary plays, you name it. I remember after the curtains closed, people would run to my dressing room. They would give me flowers, gifts, cheering me on. It was truly great. When Vietnamese opera called Kylin was in its glory days, we sang live.

We sang with our hearts, we sang with the rear voices and emotions, expressing the suffering of the people, so that we would always remember our homeland. Hi, Bob. Oh, Bob, hey. When I got fell to the communist, I fled for America. It was April 30, 1975.

I came here with nothing, no money, no papers, no English, I was lost. My name is Yami. I have met the Vietnamese for a long time now. You didn't try. Every time I talk to you, try about going to school, talk some English. You met me, you fight with me. I don't met you. I like to speak my country Vietnam number one. I speak English number ten, I don't like. You don't understand, you say it up right? Why? You say English? I like you not to step, but I don't like to speak good. You lazy?

No, you go to school. You too lazy. I'm sorry, I'm fine. Too lazy, you're mine, right? Okay, hangry. Okay, I do for you now. I love going to Tu Hong Café. It is the only place I know of where I can sing, teach and meet friends to talk about the old days of Vietnamese opera. I love going to Tu Hong Café. I love going to Tu Hong Café. I love going to Tu Hong Café. I love you.

I love you too. I love staying with my friends for a้bting. I love living my studies. She shrunk all over Mr. Vinh Nam. I have many eyes, but now... I'm having trouble looking for young age, so... Mom's got a lot of shame. Right and exactly, squash can make too much damage. I think, it's out of luck if you think she'll be up. She mistreats or not. When we have trouble, we would be too close... It is not true that the Vietnamese, especially the young, do not have strong feelings for their art and heritage. When they see a Vietnamese opera performer stage, they really love him.

When it was great, I would arrive at the theatre and people would rush out to get me. They love me that much. When I went away and sang, young school girls would flock to my hotel room back in for my autograph. I would walk down the street and they would shout, oh Vieto, he is great, oh Vieto.

Do you like a little girl? I think they should be more natural. Vieto, do you like a little girl? Yes, I like a little girl. Do you like a little girl?

I think they should be more natural. Vieto, do you like a little girl? Yes, I like a little girl.

Vieto, do you like a little girl? Yes, I like a little girl. Vieto, do you like a little girl? Yes, I like a little girl.

Vieto, do you like a little girl? Yes, I like a little girl. Do you like a little girl? Yes, I like a little girl.

I like a little girl. Do you like a little girl? Yes, I do. Vieto, do you like a little girl?

Yes, I like a little girl. Vieto, I wonder, when I'm no longer here, whether they would still remember my name. Vieto, Vieto, Vieto is very sick. Vieto, do you like a little girl?

Yes, I like a little girl. Vieto, do you like a little girl? Yes, I like a little girl. I like a little girl.

I like a little girl. I like a little girl. Vieto, do you like a little girl? Yes, I like a little girl.

Vieto, do you like a little girl? Yes, I like a little girl. Vieto, do you like a little girl? Yes, I do.

I like a little girl. Vieto, do you like a little girl? Yes, I do. Vieto, do you like a little girl?

Yes, I do. Vieto, do you like a little girl? Yes, I do. Yes, I do.

Yes, I do. Vieto, do you like a little girl? Yes, I do. PBS.

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