“Jimmy In Saigon” Explores The Vietnam War And Family Mysteries

A not so new documentary with local ties examines a family mystery. Filmmaker Peter McDowell wanted to explore the sudden and very mysterious death of his older brother Jimmy, a Vietnam war veteran who returned to Saigon as a civilian and died there. Only five when his much older brother died, Peter had to dig deep to find out the answers to the many questions his brother’s life and death raised, including secrets about Jimmy’s sexuality. Was he, like Peter, also a gay man?

Produced by Dan Savage, Jimmy in Saigon screens on Thursday, August 29th at SIFF Cinema Uptown with Peter McDowell and Savage in attendance. Tickets at: https://www.siff.net/cinema/in-theaters/jimmy-in-saigon

Jimmy in Saigon begins as a personal exploration into the mysterious death and radical life of Jimmy McDowell, an American 24-year-old Vietnam veteran who died as a civilian in Saigon in the 1970s. Director Peter McDowell was only five when Jimmy died, and in his quest to get to know his brother, he uncovers a hidden romance, new family ties and secrets surrounding Jimmy’s drug use and sexuality – a story that takes viewers to Vietnam, France, and across the United States.