SYNOPSIS
Native American from Northern California, Al Moon lives on his tribe’s reservation, yet he remains solitary. Surrounded by daily violence and haunted by new ecological threats affecting his people, Al feels the weight of buried anxieties resurfacing from his time in Vietnam. Driven by an urge to confront his past, he embarks on a cross-country journey to reconnect with the men from his battalion whom he hasn’t seen since the war. Along the way, Al meets a diverse range of people with whom he engages in deep dialogues about contemporary America, uncovering shifting perspectives on friendship, conflict, and identity. As he moves closer to a long-hidden truth, Al nears a revelation that has haunted him for decades.
FESTIVALS SELECTIONS
Visions du Réel (Switzland / April 2025)
Kraków International Film Festival (Poland / May-June 2025)
PRESS
« This film charts an individual’s life with such a calm, unhurried, and profound sense of perspective that it flashes an urgent light at an entire identity that’s persistently vulnerable.
HIGH ON FILMS | LINK
“What’s noticeable about the latest collaboration between Isabelle Ingold and Vivianne Perelmuter is that its subject – Native American Vietnam veteran Al Moon –
has a strong presence not just as an on-screen participant but in shaping the whole project.”
EYE FOR FILM | LINK
« New Beginnings is a masterful character study, not only of Al Moon but of a fractured society. It’s a quietly powerful exploration of why we keep moving forward, despite everything. »
INTERNATIONAL CINEPHILE SOCIETY | LINK
Isabelle Ingold 