Best Music (in a film) 2020 Winner

This Little Land of Mines

80 million unexploded bombs remain in the small Southeast Asian country of Laos from when the United States secretly bombed Laos more than any country on earth. This Little Land of Mines is a nuanced, cinematic, and enlightening expose bringing stories of Lao people, young and old, straight to American audiences. During the Vietnam War, the CIA embarked on their largest covert operation to date in Laos. During over 580,000 bombing missions, the U.S. dropped 270 million bombs on Laos, 80 million of which have yet to explode. Since then, tens of thousands of innocent Laotians have been killed or seriously injured by accidentally detonating a bomb; 40% of victims are children. Despite this horrific reality, the collective will of the Lao people is inspiring. One by one, people like Phetsamay, a mother of two, work to find and destroy the bombs. Phetsamay's spirit and optimism is juxtaposed against this tragic reality: at this rate, it will take 2,500 years to rid Laos of UXO (unexploded ordnance). Due to very few Americans knowing about the war, the U.S. gives very little support and funding to Laos' efforts. This Little Land of Mines is a collection of unbelievable stories Americans need to hear. From Lung Ki, an 87-year-old village man who survived over a million bombs while living in a pitch-black cave with 30 other families for 9 years to Lae, who lives in what is now known as 'crater village' and lost her two sons when they picked up a bomb only a few months ago. Although Laotians have endured the heaviest bombing on earth, and live with a constant terror of the unexploded bombs, they all assure you that life is a beautiful blessing and that they have forgiven America. This documentary will capture this unique sentiment, in the hopes of inspiring a younger American generation to form a catalyst and demand real U.S. support in Laos.