The last American officials were airlifted out of Vietnam from the embassy roof in Saigon in 1975. Most have never returned. In 1998, World T.E.A.M. (The Exceptional Athlete Matters) Sports organized a 16-day, 1100 mile bicycle expedition through once war-torn Northern and Southern Vietnam. A non-profit organization that focuses on events for the disabled, World T.E.A.M. Sports drew an array of veterans from the U.S. and Vietnam, as well as celebrity riders like Greg La Monde and Senator John Kerry. Those without use of their legs used special hand-powered bikes, while blind riders pedaled from the back of tandem bikes. What is immediately apparent on the veterans' arrival in Vietnam is that their biggest handicaps are the ghosts of their pasts. Past enemies ride as one team in peace across a landscape they once killed to stay alive on. Much more than a race, the ride is an exorcism; the real finish line is the painful emotional confrontation each must make alone along the way.
120 minutes
Emmy-award winning Vietnam: Long Time Coming wins again
July 23, 2009
Vietnam: Long Time Coming recently won "Best Documentary" at this year's Route 66 Film Festival in Springfield, Illinois. The film will screen again on September 19th in Springfield. Get more information.
- Executive Producers
- Jim Benson
- Paulette Douglas
- Steve Whisnant
- Sports Illustrated
- World T.E.A.M. Sports
- Producers
- Jerry Blumenthal
- Peter Gilbert
- Gordon Quinn
- Kartemquin Films
- Long Shot Films
- Co-Producer
- Adam Singer
"Vietnam: Long Time Coming registers as a heroic and essential piece of filmmaking that will surely be cherished in years to come."
—Jonathan Rosembaum, Chicago Reader
Directors Guild Awards, 1998 – Outstanding Directorial Achievement
National Society of Television Arts and Sciences- Emmy for Outstanding Program Achievement, 1998
National Society of Film Critics, 1998 – Nominee, Best Documentary
Emmy Awards, 1998 – Nominee, Sports Emmy for Program Achievement