Film Countries Archives: Vietnam

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Two men dressed in suits stand ankle deep in water.

Viet and Nam

  Trương Minh Quý

  Vietnam     129 minutes

Synopsis

Young coal miners in love Viêt and Nam steal moments of intimacy together at work deep underground. But Nam wants to leave the country via a smuggler, placing their future on tenuous ground. Waiting in limbo, the two accompany Nam’s mother on her search through the jungle — and her dreams — for the remains of her veteran husband, the ghosts of the past guiding their way.

Full of sublime visuals and rich historical resonance, this sophomore feature from Trương Minh Quý seamlessly ties a thread of longing between the ache of queer desire and the need for closure amidst the generational trauma of the Vietnam War. Rooted in magical realism, the film’s quandaries about Vietnamese history and queer belonging add up to an emotional reckoning centered around relationships with the past and to each other — a heartbreaking site of contemplation.

  

 Vietnamese with subtitles

Screenings & Events

Media

Film Credits

  •   Bianca Balbuena, Bradley Liew
  •   Trương Minh Quý
  •   Félix Rehm
  •   Son Doan
  •   Phạm Thanh Hải, Đào Duy Bảo Định, Nguyễn Thị Nga, Lê Viết Tụng
  •   Alex C. Lo, Glen Goei, Teh Su Ching, Chi K Trần, Anthony de Guzman
  •   Epicmedia Productions, Inc