The Workers Unite Film Festival is offering a special virtual screening of the acclaimed documentary The Donut King through Sunday, May 31 at 11 p.m. ET.
The film tells the remarkable story of Ted Ngoy, a Cambodian refugee who escaped the Khmer Rouge, arrived in the United States in 1975, and built an unlikely multi-million-dollar empire around America's favorite pastry: the donut.
Ngoy's journey is more than a classic rags-to-riches story. After settling in Southern California, he worked as a church custodian before purchasing his first donut shop. One shop became two, then three, and eventually a thriving business empire. Along the way, Ngoy sponsored hundreds of visas for fellow Cambodian refugees, helping newcomers establish themselves in the United States by teaching them the donut business and providing employment opportunities.
By the mid-1980s, Ngoy appeared to be living the American Dream. But as The Donut King reveals, success can be fragile. Through interviews with Ngoy, his family, and members of the Cambodian American community, the film explores immigration, labor, entrepreneurship, community building, and the complicated realities of achieving the American Dream.
The documentary also examines the lasting impact of Ngoy's efforts. Today, Cambodian Americans own and operate a significant share of California's independent donut shops, a legacy that can be traced directly back to the opportunities Ngoy created for fellow refugees.
Also included with the screening is the narrative short film Chinese Laundry.
The virtual screening is available on demand through the Workers Unite Film Festival through Sunday, May 31 at 11 p.m. ET.
Watch online: bit.ly/WatchWUFF15
Watch the trailer and learn more about the film on the Workers Unite Film Festival website.