The collection was made by six filmmakers from the Neo Lao Hak Xath (Film Division of the Lao Patriotic Front) during the Indochina Wars. The films were made between 1955 and 1980, and consist of 450 newsreel and documentary films shot with both 16mm and 35mm film. The films are significant because they show the Lao perspective of the wars, and its impact on the Lao people. The collection also complements the Vietnamese film records, and those films that survived the war in Cambodia. They cover many locations in Laos, where over 2 million tons of munitions were dropped. In particular, they show the lives and fighting spirit of people living in the north in Viengxay District (Houaphanh Province) and Xiengkhuan Province.



The films record political, social and military events and the aftermath of the war. People from all strata of Lao society are included in the films. Examples of those included are political leaders, revolutionary leaders, soldiers, and artists.The collection has an enduring influence on Lao society, and the films are widely used in television programmes, in mobile cinemas and in the making of videos. The films are shown on important national days and also used for educational purposes so that the Lao people can remember and commemorate the experiences that have shaped their identity and their nation.