CALIFORNIA NEWSWIRE (SAN FRANCISCO, Calif.) — Nearly five decades after arriving in San Francisco as a Vietnamese refugee, David Duong returned to the city for an awards ceremony honoring “The King of Trash,” a documentary about his family’s journey from war and displacement to building a successful business in America. The film won Best Documentary and Best People Choice Film at the 13th San Francisco International New Concept Film Festival, with both awards presented November 1 at Herbst Theatre in San Francisco. Duong, the founder of California Waste Solutions, dedicated the film and its two awards to his parents, Jim Thu Tai Duong and Anh Thi Le.
Before the fall of Saigon in April 1975, his father had built one of South Vietnam’s largest paper recycling businesses and was known as Vua Rác, Vietnamese for “the King of Trash.” The nickname later became the documentary’s title. After the war, the family lost its business and eventually made the decision to leave Vietnam, giving up the life they had spent years building.
David was among 23 relatives who escaped aboard a small boat, making a dangerous journey across the sea. “We almost died out there in the ocean. We had only one choice: survive,” he recalls in the film. The family eventually reached a refugee camp in the Philippines before being admitted to the United States. In 1979, they settled in San Francisco, where they had to find work, learn English and begin supporting themselves in an unfamiliar country.
Their first years were spent in the Tenderloin, where 17 family members shared two small studio apartments. With little money, they relied on the recycling skills their father had brought from Vietnam. David attended school during the day and often worked until midnight collecting cardboard, newspapers, aluminum cans and other discarded materials that the family could sell. The work provided an income while they gradually established themselves in the Bay Area.
In 1983, the family founded CoGiDo Paper Corporation, beginning with approximately $700 and a used truck. They expanded the business over the following years before selling it in 1989. David went on to establish California Waste Solutions in Oakland in 1992, eventually developing municipal recycling operations serving more than 343,000 customers in Oakland and San José. His career later took him back to Vietnam, where he invested in environmental infrastructure through Vietnam Waste Solutions, including the Da Phuoc Integrated Waste Management Facility near Ho Chi Minh City.
Directed by Errol Webber, the 72-minute documentary covers David’s business career alongside his family’s experiences before and after leaving Vietnam. It includes his accounts of discrimination as an immigrant and the difficulties of competing for business in the United States, as well as the memories of relatives who lived through the war and refugee resettlement. Younger family members also appear in the film, recounting how their family’s history has influenced their lives and their involvement in the businesses established by earlier generations.
“The King of Trash” also follows the next generation as they take on responsibilities within the family businesses. Their involvement is part of a history that began with Jim Thu Tai Duong’s recycling operations in Vietnam and continued through the businesses established by his children and grandchildren in the United States.
NATIONWIDE SCREENINGS, FILM FESTIVAL RECOGNITION AND FUTURE DISTRIBUTION
“The King of Trash” has reached audiences across the United States through a series of public screenings, bringing David Duong’s family history to communities in California, Texas, Florida and Washington, D.C. According to organizers, 12 screening events have drawn more than 5,000 attendees, with presentations in San José, Oakland, Sacramento, Orange County, Dallas, Houston, Orlando, Washington, D.C., and several additional Bay Area cities, including Hayward, Dublin and Emeryville.
The documentary was also selected for the 2026 Red Rock Film Festival in Utah, appearing in its September program. It subsequently received Best Documentary and Best People Choice Film at the 13th San Francisco International New Concept Film Festival, with the awards presented November 1 at Herbst Theatre in San Francisco.
The 72-minute film was directed by Errol Webber, who previously served as a cinematographer on “Music by Prudence,” winner of the 2010 Academy Award for Best Documentary Short Subject. Through historical footage, scenes filmed in Vietnam and personal accounts from David Duong and his family, the documentary recounts more than five decades of their history. Family members, including Victor and Kristina Duong, share their perspectives on the experiences of earlier generations and the businesses that developed after the family settled in America.
The San Francisco International New Concept Film Festival was established in 2010 and held its first edition in 2014. Its 13th annual event took place October 25 through November 1, 2026, bringing together independent filmmakers from different countries and backgrounds. According to the festival’s official program, the 2026 edition received 110 film entries.
With its nationwide screenings and recent festival awards, the production team is working to bring “The King of Trash” to audiences beyond its theatrical and special-event screenings. Discussions with streaming platforms are underway, with distribution partners and release dates to be announced once agreements are finalized.
The official trailer and future screening announcements are available at https://www.thekingoftrash.us/.
ABOUT CALIFORNIA WASTE SOLUTIONS
Founded in Oakland in 1992 by David Duong, California Waste Solutions is a family-owned recycling and environmental services company serving Oakland and San José. The company provides residential and commercial recycling collection, materials processing and resource recovery services. According to company figures, its operations serve more than 343,000 customers in Northern California.
Official website: https://www.calwaste.com/
ABOUT THE SAN FRANCISCO INTERNATIONAL NEW CONCEPT FILM FESTIVAL
The San Francisco International New Concept Film Festival is an independent international film festival established in 2010, with its first edition held in 2014. The festival showcases films across multiple genres, recognizes independent filmmakers and encourages cultural exchange through cinema. Its 13th annual edition took place October 25 through November 1, 2026, concluding with an awards ceremony at Herbst Theatre in San Francisco.
Official website: https://www.sfnewfilms.com/
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