Documentary film: “We Remember: Ventura County to Vietnam and Back"

On Monday, May 25, at 2 p.m., the Museum of Ventura County will premier “We Remember: Ventura County to Vietnam and Back,” an original documentary by Ojai-based filmmaker George J. Sandoval comprising interviews with Ventura County Vietnam veterans. These personal accounts were recorded specifically for the exhibition now on view at the Museum, and have never before been seen. According to Sandoval, many of these men hadn’t spoken of their experiences to anyone until now. “With the average age of most vets between 65 and 70, I knew it was time to film their stories and record them for the community and for historical purposes,” said Sandoval.

The screening will be followed by a panel discussion with area veterans Jess Gutierrez, Moses Mora, Robert Yenney and James Graca, each of whom was interviewed for the film. As co-curator of the Museum of Ventura County’s “We Remember: Ventura County to Vietnam and Back,” George has added an essential present-day component to the look back at the Vietnam conflict, something he is uniquely qualified to do as a Vietnam vet and documentarian.

Sandoval is the owner and producer for WestEnd Productions, a production company based in Ojai that has produced such documentaries as “Oxnard, the Changing Face of an American City” (2003), “Courage and Contribution, the Chinese in Ventura County” (2004), and “That Country Feeling,” which focuses on the agriculture industry in Ventura (1998). He studied film production at Moorpark College and Columbia College, and has been creating documentaries and short films for over 30 years.