Published:  00:00 Saturday - November 14, 2009

Rapturous applause and faces full of tears have been a common sight in every auditorium of American universities where the Vietnamese movie “Don’t Burn” was screened.

The film was based on the best-seller “Dang Thuy Tram’s diary”, translated into English as “Last night I dreamed of peace”.

Ever since the book was published in the US in 2007, the heroic life of military doctor Dang Thuy Tram and her diary have become extremely popular in the US.

The film has been shown in several major US universities since early November and has attracted many overseas Vietnamese and American lecturers and students.

Matt Johnson, who is conducting research at Yale University, said the movie helps young Americans feel the pains of war.

The films director, Dang Nhat Minh, said that the warm welcome from audiences makes him extremely happy, as the movie deals with a sensitive topic for American audiences.

“Don’t burn” will be shown at many other universities, including Harvard, until November 20.

On November 14, the movie will be put on general release at the Cantor Film Centre in New York, where Director Minh and the American actors and actresses in the movie will hold a talk with the audience.