Documentary Shorts From Vietnam
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Train Journal
Tran Thanh Hien, 2010, Vietnam, 7 mins
Vietnamese with English subtitles
An observational travelogue taking place entirely on the train between Hanoi and Haiphone, this film vividly documents the sights and sounds of the train’s passengers and passing landscapes.
The Garden
Doan Hoang Kien, 2010, Vietnam, 10 mins
Vietnamese with English subtitles
An abandoned garden becomes the symbol for the filmmaker’s own dislocated memories, as he tries to confront his family’s troubled history.
At Water’s Edge
Do Van Hoang, 2011, Vietnam, 17 mins
Vietnamese with English subtitles
On an island in the middle of the Red River in Hanoi, a group of men gather to swim and exercise in the nude despite society’s reservations on public nudity. Among them is a lonely young woman struggling to survive in the big city.
Public Living
Dang Duc Loc, 2010, Vietnam, 10 mins
Vietnamese with English subtitles
A glimpse into the lives of people living in a cramped public housing estate where, despite the segregated living spaces, there is still a strong sense of community.
The Story of Ones
Pham Ngoc Lan, 2011, Vietnam, 9 mins
Vietnamese with English subtitles
The pompous bombast and easy moralism of Vietnamese state broadcasts form a counterpoint to the humble portraits of ordinary citizens.
The Mouth Gets Wet
Tran Thi Anh Phuong, 2011, Vietnam, 15mins
Vietnamese with English subtitles
A sardonic look at Vietnam’s current market economy through the lives and loves of the tough, grumpy street vendors of Hanoi.
Remaining
Nguyen TienDat, 2011, Vietnam, 11 mins
Vietnamese with English subtitles
A family’s inherited house is earmarked for demolition to make way for state development. The family contemplates their past and future, as they watch the houses around them turn into rubble.
Lady Piano
Da Thao Phuong, 2011, Vietnam, 11 mins
Vietnamese with English subtitles
A 65-year-old grandmother finally realizes her childhood dream of playing the piano. As she recounts her story and plays music from her childhood, we gradually realize that she is actually telling the story of a nation.