Our Lady at the Center, known in Vietnamese as Đức Mẹ ở giữa Chúng Ta, is a feature-length documentary that tells the story of Our Lady of La Vang, an event Vietnamese Catholics trace back to 1798, while also chronicling the journey of building the Shrine of Our Lady of La Vang at Christ Cathedral in the Diocese of Orange, California. The film was produced by the Diocese of Orange in partnership with the OLLV Foundation, with the goal of bringing the story of Our Lady of La Vang to a wide audience, especially Vietnamese Catholic communities around the world.
What makes Our Lady at the Center distinctive is the way the film connects history with the story of a modern community. Beginning with the story of Our Lady of La Vang in Vietnam in 1798, the film expands into the journey of the Vietnamese Catholic community and the process of creating a structure that carries deep cultural and spiritual significance at Christ Cathedral. The Shrine of Our Lady of La Vang was completed and formally dedicated in July 2021, with about 8,000 people in attendance. By May 2024, Marian Gardens, the rosary walk garden located behind the shrine, was also completed and dedicated.
Producing the film required more than two years of research, filming, interviews and post-production. The work was shot in four countries — the United States, Vietnam, Peru and Italy — with content recorded in four languages and the participation of more than 50 individuals through personal testimonies and stories. The final theatrical cut runs about 86 minutes, after the team trimmed roughly 30 minutes from the original cut to create a more concise narrative.
Behind the project is a team that brings together media, film and the Catholic community. Dr. Elysabeth Nguyen served as executive producer and is CEO of the OLLV Foundation. Dr. Scott Q. Nguyen served as producer, while Bradley Zint served as writer and director. Christopher TL Tran handled cinematography and editing. Bradley Zint is also a communications specialist for the Diocese of Orange and has spent many years working in journalism.
One of the film’s highlights is the story behind the construction of the Shrine of Our Lady of La Vang at Christ Cathedral. The film is not only about a piece of architecture but also tells the story of how an idea that began as a bishop’s dream became a gathering point for the community. Stories about sourcing the marble for the 18-foot statue of Our Lady, the construction of the shrine, and the dedication day attended by thousands help audiences see the depth of the project.
Our Lady at the Center held its world premiere on May 11, 2025, at the Freed Theater on the Christ Cathedral campus. The film was then screened at the Saigon Grand Center in Fountain Valley on May 17, 2025, before being introduced to numerous other Catholic communities. Throughout 2025, the film continued to be shown at various venues in Orange County and San Diego, and a Vietnamese-language version was also released.
Beyond generating interest within the Vietnamese Catholic community, the film has also begun making a mark at film festivals. Our Lady at the Center won Best Documentary Feature at the 2025 Los Angeles Tribune International Film Festival. The film was also named a Finalist for Best Feature Documentary at the East Village New York Film Festival, was selected as an Official Selection at the Christian Faith, Hope and Love Screenwriting Competition & Film Festival, and received a Jury Selection recognition at the 2026 Cannes Film Awards. The film was also an official nominee at the Faith in Film International Film Festival.
Notably, on March 26, 2026, the Diocese of Orange announced that the film had been released on platforms for Catholic content. Audiences can rent the film through EmberTV, while parishes and community groups can use eCatholic’s video-on-demand service to organize private screenings. The film’s official website also states that it is currently available to rent or purchase, and continues to receive interest for future screenings.
What makes Our Lady at the Center so noteworthy is not only its religious subject matter but also its story of memory, culture and identity within the Vietnamese community. Starting from a story that began in Quang Tri in 1798, the film opens onto a journey spanning generations and countries, showing how a story preserved within a community can continue to give rise to new structures, encounters and cultural activities in a new land.
From a community project spanning more than two years to a film that has premiered internationally, won an award at the Los Angeles Tribune International Film Festival, and continues to appear at film festivals, Our Lady at the Center is becoming a notable work in bringing the story of Our Lady of La Vang and the imprint of the Vietnamese Catholic community to a wider audience.
