Original Work
Documentary & Narrative
Character-led stories about resilience, belonging, and the communities people build around them.
Documentary · 2019
Everyone Knows
the Answer
Cinematographer & Editor
VCU Senior Capstone
The subject
An Bui
Filmed in Richmond, Virginia, in 2019, Everyone Knows the Answer profiles An Bui—a Vietnamese refugee, restaurateur, and a pioneering figure who helped ignite Richmond’s modern craft-beer and brewery scene.
Born in Biên Hòa, Vietnam, Bui escaped by boat with two of his brothers in the mid-1980s and reached Virginia through the support of a Richmond Catholic sponsorship group. His family opened Mekong in 1995, pairing Vietnamese food with an increasingly adventurous beer program that became an early hub for brewers, beer lovers, and the relationships that helped Richmond’s brewery culture grow.
In 2014, Bui extended that community next door with The Answer Brewpub. The film looks beyond the business to the humility, persistence, family history, and belief in connection that made him a defining figure in Richmond’s food-and-beer culture.
Narrative short · 2022
Lucky Stars
Writer · Director · Editor
American University MFA Thesis Film
Logline
After a passenger’s unruly young son is forgotten at a train station, a father working as a driver forms an unexpected bond with the boy. Their time together forces him to confront his own absence at home—and choose his son’s birthday over one more fare.
The heart of the film
Lucky Stars is a story about fatherhood and the lasting influence a parent’s presence has on a child. Through one unexpected encounter, a man recognizes that providing for his family is not the same as being present for them—and that attention can matter more than money.
Original work & collaborations