Refugee Documentary Wins Two Awards in SF
The King of Trash took Best Documentary and Best People Choice Film at the 13th SF International New Concept Film Festival.
Updated on Nov. 4, 2026 in Awards
Vietnamese refugee David Duong, who arrived in San Francisco nearly five decades ago, saw his documentary about his family's journey win two awards. The King of Trash took Best Documentary and Best People Choice Film at the 13th San Francisco International New Concept Film Festival.
Why it matters
For San Franciscans, the film traces a local story of displacement and building a business in the city, told by a founder who still calls it home. The recognition at a festival hosted in the city places a personal immigrant history on a local stage.
The documentary took two of the festival's honors, Best Documentary and Best People Choice Film, at the 13th edition of the festival. The source does not report how many entries competed in those categories.
The players
David Duong
Founder and CEO of California Waste Solutions, who made and accepted the awards for The King of Trash.
California Waste Solutions
The San Francisco-area business Duong founded, whose story the documentary traces.
The details
David Duong, founder and CEO of California Waste Solutions, returned to San Francisco for the November 1, 2026 ceremony at Herbst Theatre. He dedicated the film and both awards to his parents, Jim Thu Tai Duong and Anh Thi Le. The film follows his family's journey from war and displacement to building a business in America.
Timeline
Nearly five decades before 2026: David Duong arrives in San Francisco as a Vietnamese refugee.
November 1, 2026: The awards are presented at Herbst Theatre in San Francisco.
Across the Bay
The film's account of a refugee who arrived in San Francisco and built a waste business places it within the city's post-1975 Vietnamese refugee community. Its festival recognition extends that history onto local screens rather than marking a departure from it.
If you want to see The King of Trash, watch for future festival screenings or distribution announcements, which the source does not yet specify. The film's recognition at a San Francisco festival means local audiences may get the first chance to see it.
The takeaway
A film about one family's escape from war and their rise in San Francisco won two festival honors, a reminder of how the city's immigrant stories build its civic life. Watch for screening dates as the film's distribution plans take shape.
Further reading
For more on the festival honors that recognize films like this one, browse Awards coverage.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Yuma Sun.
