Dumbarton Bridge

The hypnotic, watery landscapes of the San Francisco Bay Area's salt ponds set the magical tone of the film. This festival favorite, critically acclaimed drama tells the story of rebirth - as a father and daughter rediscover each other. Like few other American movies, the film uniquely approaches multi-racial conflicts.Shed, a Vietnam vet working the salt ponds of the south bay area and fighting demons of the past, is visited by the daughter he left behind in Vietnam 17 years before when the American troops retreated.Minh is an outcast in her own homeland and has come to America to find her father. She ignites dormant emotional fires and the two of them begin a parallel search for ethnic identity and personal belonging.The powerful performances are set to a classic jazz and 50s/60s R&B soundtrack, with stunning visuals of the moody waterscapes at the margins of Silicon Valley.

Directed by Charles Koppelman, Dumbarton Bridge leans on a strong ensemble — Esperanza Catubig, Art Desuyo, Daphne Ashbrook — to carry a story that balances spectacle with character.

The film landed with audiences for its craft and performances, and remains one of the most talked-about drama titles of 1999.