Phantom Roots: Storytelling through puppetry and film

Filmmaker Erica Nguyen and her father, Duc Nguyen, are the dynamic duo behind the deeply personal and culturally resonant documentary, Phantom Roots—a film exploring identity, memory, and the invisible threads that tie generations together. We discuss their creative collaboration as father and daughter, the journey of uncovering family history, and the power of storytelling in reclaiming heritage. Whether you're a filmmaker, a storyteller, or someone reflecting on your own roots, we hope this conversation will vibrate your heartstrings.

Erica Nguyen is a grassroots documentary filmmaker who collaborates in mutual self-study. Her scholastic background is based in Socio-cultural Anthropology, Ethnographic Field Work, and Sociolinguistics. As a Vietnamese American, her work centers on the outsider experience. To transcend otherness, Erica celebrates tactile forms of communication and locates sources of joy assites of catharsis. She completed her first feature film in 2020 (Peru), titled Tejiendo Sombras / Shadow Weavers, while doubling as a rock climbing instructor and therapeutic adventure facilitator. Her current project, Phantom Roots, explores everyday magic as an antidote to generational displacement within the Vietnamese diaspora. Erica envisions her creative practice as a bridge between experiential learning and regenerative storytelling.

Duc Nguyen is a dedicated father who spent the last 40 years as an analogue microchip designer. He has served in founding, managing, and consulting positions for Qualcomm Inc., MicrochipFairchild Semi, Entropic Communications, Motorola, Valence Semiconductors Inc., Western Digital, Rockwell International Inc., and others. In this new phase of creative endeavors, Duc has acted in short martial arts films and taken up the role of Producer for Phantom Roots. During the 2025 production in Vietnam, Duc facilitated collaborations, translated, developed the waterpuppetry storyboard, and designed crucial set elements.

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