WORLDS APART
Limited Series
Logline:
In 8 episodes a girl escapes post-war Vietnam to America, and during her 20s and 30s journeys through deep relationships, inner traumas and racially-charged career challenges. Step by step healing her past, she discovers true love, career fulfillment and community.
Covering two intriguing decades in eight 1-hour episodes, WORLDS APART is a unique refugee/success tale moving through family challenges, financial struggles, explosive romance, exotic adventure, business hurdles, and ongoing emotional healing and personal awakening. Each episode introduces new cultural themes and convoluted characters, as Dao Le dives bravely into unexpected situations demanding creative resolution.
Dao herself is quite attractive, clever, sometimes funny and when needed, able to take a quite courageous leap – she's been inwardly damaged by early traumas but she's determined to somehow let go, take a deep breath and move forward into, well, who knows ... She's academically brilliant but she keeps getting caught in raw whirlwinds of confusing emotions as she goes to college and tries to figure out for herself who she really wants to be.
The tone and mood of the series is sometimes quite heavy but the main characters share a sense of humor no matter what's happening – ultimately this is a consistently uplifting series where people know how to lighten up, get loose and funny even when the times are harsh and scary. The capacity to transcend lies at the heart of the show. In each episode our heroes manage to rise beyond difficulties and triumph in their own special ways.
Dao's journey into America's heart and soul leads her at times into feelings she both hates and fears – depression, romantic heartbreak, professional conflict, business failure. Her parents still suffer from PTSD and bouts of homesickness, and Dao picks up those feelings and takes them with her to college - where they almost do her in.
Based on the intimate memoir by Mai Kim Le, WORLDS APART is both deeply personal, and also universal in its portrayal of an innocent young girl uprooted by war into a seriously-foreign culture. She must deal with poverty, discrimination, PTSD and other debilitating dilemmas in order to transcend them all – and create her unique fulfilling life in America.
UNIQUE PLOT FLOW
This true-to-life story begins (very briefly) with an abject life-or-death struggle in the old country – then shifts to entry-level poverty and racism in the slums of a new culture. The Limited Series quickly advances into college strife and academic victories at Bowdoin College in Maine, then on to the Sorbonne in Paris – and diplomatic grad school at Princeton.
Youthful romance and sexual discovery intermix with bouts of depression and despair. Dao must somehow resolve fearful parental attitudes and antiquated cultural expectations. Luckily she meets three very special students at college, and then several key colleagues and mentors later on, who continue to influence, challenge and sustain her through the many pitfalls she encounters from the age of 18 to 34.
The series is definitely international with numerous exotic locations and adventures. Always feeling driven to accomplish more, Dao keeps moving through various careers as she travels to Paris, Princeton, Washington, back to Vietnam and Bangkok, then on fascinating World Bank assignments in the Near East and Africa.
Each episode shifts not only to new locations to explore, but also new themes to try to come to grips with: a freer sense of true love; the challenge of culture, religion and beliefs; the constant barrage of sexism and racism; the limits of trust and security; the trials and joys of motherhood; the underbelly of consumer capitalism; and on and on.
CRUCIAL RELATIONSHIPS
The people who are thrust into Dao's life, often as long-term friends or foes, are equally intriguing, challenging, and insightful:
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VLAD is a Jewish refugee from Ukraine who will move in and out of Dao's life as lover, tormenter, partner and ultimately the loving father of her children.
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ILLIANA is from a wealthy Argentine/Bulgarian family who initially competes for Vlad’s romantic favors – but then becomes Dao’s supportive colleague and confidante.
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NOMAN is from Pakistan. A bright light in the story, shy and bisexual, he becomes Dao’s intimate trustworthy friend – and also finally bonds long-term with Illiana.
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JEAN PIERRE is half French aristocrat, half Vietnamese. A budding documentary filmmaker in Paris, he and Dao explore Vietnam together, then struggle with their relationship in Paris.
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LINDA is a college therapist who helps Dao through bouts of depression, and shows her that she can take control of her thoughts and emotions and redefine who she really is.
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DIANNE is an administrator at the World Bank in Washington D.C. who becomes Dao’s supervisor, pushes her into difficult foreign assignments – and guides her through a challenging pregnancy.
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KRISTIN is a tough compassionate farmer in Massachusetts who helps Dao recover from post-partum depression, and launch a challenging farm-to-market delivery business.
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EDWARD is a venture capitalist in New York. He brings Dao in as CEO for a med-tech start-up. He seems ruthless and unkind but pushes her into new success and personal power.
WORLDS APART runs the gamut of human emotions – but ultimately this is an uplifting tale of bravery, healing and transcendence. Each episode will inspire its audience to let go of prejudice, low self-esteem and inhibitions – and achieve business success and emotional wellbeing.
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