The Queen from Virginia: The Jackie Bong Wright Story
"Best Documentary Feature"
- VC Filmfest: The Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival
From Vietnam War refugee to beauty queen, The Queen from Virginia profiles the journey
of Jackie Bong Wright as she competes in the week-long Ms. Senior America national
pageant. Created in 1972, Ms. Senior America is a beauty pageant for women over 60 that
“searches for the gracious lady who best exemplifies the dignity, maturity, and inner
beauty of all senior Americans.”
Spanning the course of one week, this documentary takes a behind-the-scenes look at
Jackie’s experience as she competes in this unique pageant. From the first rehearsal to
the final coronation, the film reveals the strength and spirit of a woman who has rebuilt her
life in America after surviving personal tragedies suffered from the Vietnam War.
Jackie enters the pageant as the first Asian-American Ms. Virginia Senior America and the
first Vietnamese-American to ever compete in the national pageant. With perspectives
from family members, other contestants, and pageant organizers, this documentary also
provides exclusive insight into the world of senior pageantry.
“Success is not how high and fast you reach the top, but how high and fast you bounce
back when you hit bottom.” –Jackie Bong Wright
Running time: 90 minutes
Related causes: Arts, Community, Leaders
Tags: jackie bong wright, seniors, women
