Jimmy in Saigon

Jimmy in Saigon explores the mysterious death, radical life, and forbidden romance of a 24-year-old Vietnam veteran who died in Saigon in 1972. Jimmy's rejection of his family's values and his eventual death created deep trauma within the lives of his surviving family and complicated how he was remembered. Director Peter McDowell, Jimmy's younger brother, was only five years old when Jimmy died under a shroud of secrecy and shame. Jimmy in Saigon follows Peter's 10-year search to uncover secrets surrounding Jimmy's sexual orientation and rumored drug use. Peter finds surprising connections with his deceased brother and struggles to reach a new understanding of his own identity as a gay man. After leaving the army, Jimmy unexpectedly chose to return to Vietnam as a civilian while the war still raged. He died a year later. Why do some aspects of a remembered life fade, while others persist? Why are some memories cherished, and others buried? Peter's journey provides an empathetic lens through which to explore Jimmy's life in Saigon--a story of adventure and of love that was unacceptable at the time and still challenging today.