Film
maker Saran LaJoie Bynum began life with everything stacked against
her. Born of a wartime liaison between a Vietnamese mother and an
African-American soldier, she was rescued from the street as an infant
and taken to an orphanage. She came to the United States as part of Operation Babylift at the age of three. Once in the U.S., she began a new life with adoptive parents from New Orleans.
Although
her situation improved, she still had difficulties. She encountered
prejudice from many ethnic groups due to her biracial heritage. In 2005,
Hurricane Katrina destroyed her home and she had to flee for a second
time. Yet through everything, she maintains a positive attitude.
She
has registered her information on sites dedicated to reconnecting
service members and the children they conceived while on duty overseas.
While she hasn’t found her birth father yet, her efforts led her to
connect with the man she considered her Pretend Dad, Larry Taylor, a
Vietnam veteran. He told her a great deal about what circumstances were
like in those days. Taylor passed away in late 2015, but not before
giving his blessing to her new project.
With
her latest endeavor, she seeks to share the story of the children of
war from their point of view. “Where I Stand,” a film based on a
fictionalized version of Bynum’s life, begins filming in May 2016. In
the script, an orphan of the war seeks her missing father and discovers
he is suffering with cancer caused by the chemical warfare which took
place in Viet Nam. The young woman seeks answers to his situation and
runs into danger and intrigue as she investigates.
Bynum
promises adventure and conspiracy in the independent film. As part of
the process, she has started a crowdfunding campaign on GoFundMe to
raise the rest of the budget. To join her efforts, contribute here. Look for “Where I Stand” in the fall of 2016. A book version will release after the movie’s release.
Originally appeared 04/15/2016 at http://www.examiner.com/article/artist-author-saran-bynum-brings-story-of-children-of-war-to-film
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