On Sofa #9: Screening of Lighter Than Orange – The Legacy of Dioxin in Vietnam with Prof. Matthias Leupold
03 PM – 05 PM, Sat 15 Aug 2026
HAS Library
T2.4, 2nd floor Complex 01
Alley 167 Tây Sơn, Hà Nội
The film will be screened in Vietnamese with English subtitles. The post-screening discussion will be conducted in English
Registration link (The event is limited to 15 participants.)
From the organizer:
During his visit to Hanoi, Prof. Matthias Leupold will present his documentary Lighter Than Orange and the short film The Legacy of Dioxin in Vietnam to the audience of On Sofa. Running for 72 minutes, the film follows the lives of several Vietnamese veterans among the countless victims of Agent Orange. Due to exposure to dioxin-based herbicide Agent Orange used during the war, veterans brought home a change in their DNA. This change having been passed down through the generations, their children are still suffering from incurable illnesses and debilitating deformity today.
“There is something about Leupold’s documentary that feels unbelievably personal. The film provides people who were and still are affected by Agent Orange with the opportunity to speak out. Leupold captures these individual stories with such a delicate intimacy that truly exposes the horrifying reality of the situation.”
Alexia Amoriello, New York City Independent Film Festival
Program
2:30 PM – Check-in
3:00 PM – Film screening
4:30 PM – Conversation with filmmaker and Professor Matthias Leupold
About the film maker
Matthias Leupold (b. 1959) was born in Berlin, Germany. He is a documentary filmmaker, photographer, and professor. After many years working in the field of fine art photography, he began directing documentary film projects in Vietnam and other countries in 2011. His documentary Lighter Than Orange – The Legacy of Dioxin in Vietnam (2015) received the Grand Prize for Best Feature Documentary at the Socially Relevant Film Festival New York and has been screened at numerous international film festivals. His subsequent works continue to explore themes of memory, conflict, the environment, and human rights. Leupold currently lives and works in Berlin and teaches fine art photography and documentary filmmaking at the University of Europe for Applied Sciences.
Note:
– This is a non-profit event. We encourage participants to support the artist with a small contribution from 100,000 VND as a gesture of appreciation. All proceeds will be given directly to the artist after the event.
– Doors will close at the scheduled start time (including for those who have registered). Please arrive on time to choose your seat.
– The event will be documented through photography and audio recording for archival, research, and communication purposes by the artist and Heritage Art Space. By attending, you consent to the use of this material.
Follow updates on event’s page.
