“Free to Love” gathers a slate of short films that stretch and challenge not only gender expressions, but genre expectations – putting queer love in focus, a little off-centered, with family and longing in the foreground.

In Before the Sea Forgets, we join the journey of two men looking for a burial site in Đà Nẵng, in parallel with a seemingly random group of skateboarders who find themselves reciting poetry. From there we zoom into the intimate space of a bathroom for the first scene of Mother’s Spring (Mùa xuân của mẹ), where a daughter literally and figuratively struggles in their áo dài, not realizing that a first generation mother also needs grace. Just as you get a chance to come up for air, you will find yourself tossed into a genre-bending roller coaster. There, you must Close the Eye to See the unspeakable truth that a mourned lover must face as he is haunted by horror and spirituality. 

We then round out the set with our final two unscripted films which give voice to Intergenerational Stories, and explore various viewpoints of all ages where love is really love and acceptance means truly accepting not only others but yourself. Between Us gives a rare glimpse into older lesbians who paved the way, supportive parents who raise signs along with their children, and the community forms and uplifts as a result. As Auntie Hanh says, “I know the truth can be painful to others. But the truth must be the truth.”

By Jenni Trang Le