Joe, a former musician, has attempted for move on from the drowning death of his son. He is addicted to Vietnamese Coffee, which he orders online and drinks while teaching ESL at night. After learning he has an inoperable brain tumor, Joe decides to spend his final vacation in Ho Chi Minh City. Here, he discovers the mythical "Black Turtle," a rare Vietnamese legend with the power to heal and sometimes kill.

Vietnamese Coffee is the first film from Joseph Francis. After years working as a composer, sound editor, and SAG-AFTRA background actor, Joseph decided to combine elements from his life to tell a story about regret, guilt, and redemption.

As technology has improved, filmmaking has become accessible to all. Joseph wanted to test the limits of what could be done with the technology he personally had on hand. Vietnamese Coffee was filmed in Burbank, California with an iPhone 13. It utilized only one microphone, a Manley Cardioid Reference, along with basic lighting and a green-screen. Videos edits and color-grading were completed in Final Cut Pro with music and sound from Logic, Studio One, and Pro Tools. Joseph wrote, directed, edited, and provided music for the film.