The King of Trash Documentary Wins Two Awards at San Francisco Film Festival

Directed by Errol Webber, the 72-minute documentary The King of Trash was awarded Best Documentary and Best People's Choice Film at the 13th San Francisco International New Concept Film Festival on November 1, 2026. The film chronicles the life of David Duong, tracing his history from his family's experiences in Vietnam to his establishment of California Waste Solutions in Oakland.

The film recounts the Duong family's departure from Vietnam in 1975 and their subsequent resettlement in San Francisco in 1979. After arriving as refugees with limited resources, the family resumed work in the recycling industry—a trade Duong's father had pioneered in Vietnam. This background provided the foundation for Duong to launch his own enterprise, California Waste Solutions, in 1992.

The documentary documents the challenges of building an industrial business, including navigating local market competition and social obstacles as an immigrant. The company has since expanded its operations to include municipal waste services in California and environmental infrastructure projects in Vietnam.

Duong dedicated the awards to his parents, citing their sacrifices as the catalyst for the family's survival and subsequent professional success in the United States.