1975, South Vietnam teetered on the edge of collapse. As North Vietnamese forces closed in on Saigon, millions of refugees poured into the capital—among them were thousands of orphaned children. 

In response, Gerald Ford issued an executive order initiating the immediate evacuation of all orphaned children waiting for adoption. Over 3,000 infants and children were airlifted out of Vietnam over the course of a month and brought to the United States. These children, together with the hundreds of others adopted during the war, created one of the most significant mass-scale adoption events in modern history.

This became known as Operation Babylift.

For many Americans, this is where the story ended, but Mike Frailey's story was just beginning. He was just eight years old when he was put on a plane destined for Missouri alongside his best friend. In Vietnam, they were Thọ and Nga. In America, they became Mike and David.

Evacuated together during Operation Babylift, Mike and David were adopted by American families living on the same street in Missouri. While Mike embraced assimilation and the promise of the American Dream, David struggled to let go of their past and grappled with their memories of war. Their paths ultimately diverged, and they had a major falling out as teenagers.

In 2009, at the age of 42, Mike traveled back to Vietnam for the first time and began recording his experiences with photos and videos, and the seed of a documentary was born. In 2024, the discovery of a handwritten ledger in Mike's orphanage prompted him to reexamine his story and David's while mounting a search for his birth family.

A personal and historical look into the legacy of Operation Babylift, The Adoptees examines the long-term effects of international adoption, immigration, and the Vietnam War through first-hand accounts of the adult adopted children who lived it. 

Co-directed by Mike himself, our film follows Mike’s journey to retrace his and David's lives—from orphanages in Vietnam to small-town America and ultimately to the 50th Anniversary of Operation Babylift. Our film sets out to answer the questions: what were the lifetime consequences of adoption for the Vietnamese adoptees, their families, and their loved ones, and how do the adoptees find meaning and purpose in their lives created by historical forces beyond their control?

Told through vérité footage, dual-subject interviews, decades of archival materials, and poetic 8mm recreations of fragmented memories, The Adoptees reveals a unique perspective on an untold chapter of American history. We are not seeking easy answers but instead a reflection on what it means to lose and to reclaim one's past, one's family, and one's sense of belonging.

While the film is set to complete production in early 2027, this is just the beginning. We will launch a nationwide impact campaign and screening tour dedicated to fostering conversation and building community with adoptee groups, the Vietnamese diaspora, and historical societies. 

Our goals will be achieved through a robust series of film festivals and community screenings in collaboration with our growing list of partner organizations. So far, this includes Also-Known-As, Adoptees For Justice, the Inclusion Initiative, the Vietnamese American Organization, the International Documentary Association, and more.  

The Adoptees joins a movement of adoptees reclaiming their narratives and challenging adoption policy and practice. We hope our film will serve as an enduring tool for educational and historical research, and a shared dialogue around identity, healing, and reform.

For the last two years, we have captured important scenes and interviews with various subjects and covered the 50th anniversary events for Operation Babylift in Vietnam and America. We estimate we already have 30-35% of the footage needed. Now, we’re kicking off Phase One of our principal production. 

This campaign will cover the first major production shoot, where we will capture the narrative backbone of our film: interviews with Mike and David's friends, family, and former caregivers in Missouri. We’ll also be capturing essential vérité scenes and archival recreations. 

Not only will achieving our goals in this campaign secure the funding we need to continue production, but our inclusion in the AAPI Renaissance Rally will also help us build momentum, increase our visibility, and support other important stories featuring Asian and Pacific Islander characters.

How to Support

The way this works is that we need to reach 80% of our goal of $15,000 in order to receive any of our contributions. Anyone who contributes will only be charged when we hit that threshold. Every dollar helps us get closer to our goal, and no amount is too small!

If you can't contribute financially, no worries! There are other really important ways you help us support our goal and become a part of our journey!

1. Follow the campaign on Seed&Spark — It's 100% free. Once we hit 350 followers, regardless of how many people contribute, we'll be eligible for matching funds, mentorship, and pitch opportunities through the Rally’s sponsors. 
2. Follow and Share our posts on Instagram — We’re sharing exclusive content and updates through our social media platform. 
3. Help connect us with potential partners — Organizations, foundations, and individuals who might align with our story and impact goals.

Stretch Goals

$20,000 – Kick Off Remaining Shoots

If we pass our minimum goal,  we can start planning ahead. At $20,000, we will be able to begin prepping and planning for our remaining shoots in Alabama, Hawaii, and Vietnam. 

$30,000 – Build Our Post-Production Team

At this level, we can hire our editor full-time to start shaping the footage we have already shot and bring on an archival editor to help us dig into the historical material needed for this story, bringing us closer to sharing the finished film with all of you.

Thank you!

Mike Frailey, Co-Director

Derrick Ownes, Co-Director

Anjali Alwis, Producer

& The Adoptees' team

Learn more at theadoptees.com