Short Documentary
Teb Chaw (Land)
Teb Chaw (Land) is an immersive short documentary that gently invites viewers into the world of Hmong-American farmers. Tim and Ka share their moving migration stories and love for farming in the Twin Cities where their community has revived and reshaped local foodways. However, this is not without struggle. As a refugee community, the Hmong must grow crops on rented land, facing unfair leasing prices and a changing climate. This inspires Janssen, who grew up farming, to return to this practice. This portrait gives insight into farming as an act of escape from the impacts of war.
During America's involvement in the Vietnam and Secret Wars, the CIA recruited the Hmong as allies to disrupt communist roadways and rescue downed American pilots in Laos. Their withdrawal from Southeast Asia in 1975 resulted in tens of thousands of Hmong, Lao, Vietnamese, Cambodian, Montagnard and lu Mien people fleeing to the U.S. and across the globe.
Teb Chaw (Land) premiered at CAAMFest in May 2025 and has already been requested for many community screenings across the U.S.
This film is part of Southeast Asian American Journeys, a five-part docuseries produced in partnership with the Southeast Asian Resource Action Center (SEARAC) and the Center for Asian American Media (CAAM).
Southeast Asian American Journeys is a landmark docuseries that honors 50 years of Southeast Asian American (SEAA) resilience through powerful storytelling by SEAA filmmakers. This series shines a light on underrepresented voices and the collective memory, strength, and vision of diverse SEAA refugee communities in the US.
This landmark docuseries is part of the Our Roots, Our Power campaign, exploring the stories of five local Southeast Asian refugee communities who, while being shaped by their resettlement journeys, have transformed the landscape of which they are a fundamental part.
If you are interested in hosting a screening, reach out to Elaine at our partner organization SEARAC: elaine@searac.org