State of Statelessness is the first Tibetan/Indian submission to Viet Film Fest. It presents four poignant stories that depict the enduring pain of displacement and the complexities of diasporic Tibetan identity. This anthology opens with a father’s retelling of the tale about the Mekong River, a symbolic journey that bridges the cultural distance between homeland and adopted land. In the second story, the cremation of a mother brings together estranged daughters, whose mourning reveals the emotional fractures of a family scattered across borders. The third narrative follows a Tibetan couple recovering from a family tragedy, whose precarious life is further disrupted by a visit from a long-lost school friend returning from America. The final chapter directs attention to a Tibetan American young man. His homecoming – to bring his father’s ashes to Tibet – unearths a buried family secret, which then leads him to reconsider his heritage and belonging.

Created by the Drung Tibetan Filmmakers’ Collective – a group of Tibetan directors working across India, the U.S., and Vietnam – the film not only unveils personal diasporic experiences, but also conveys a collective reflection on migration, memories, loss, and resettlement. Through quiet portrayals of daily life, State of Statelessness embeds Tibetan traditions, myths, and rituals – thangka paintings, religious belief in reincarnation, and sacred death rites – into its narrative fabric, lending the film a contemplative, spiritual atmosphere.

By Xiangu Qi