Love – present or not – makes people act in peculiar ways to those who may not understand that love. Or, it can make people forget to do the things they ought to do. These four films look at love (or one’s idea of what love is) at different stages: its beginnings, the point of betrayal, and in death and separation. We open with budding beginnings in Nguyễn Năng Hải An’s 5011 (which helped the director earn a spot at USC’s School of Cinematic Arts). There, a Vietnamese high school boy, unsure how to act or speak around his crush, seeks advice from a friend who might not be of much help. Empty (Trống), directed by Mai Hoài Nguyễn Tuấn Anh (or “Luey”) follows. Loosely adapted from Haruki Murakami’s short story “Kino”, the protagonist returns home to find his wife having an affair. He flees the scene, headed for anywhere but home – his ultimate destination will feature curious moments symbolizing unresolved feelings. A lack of emotional resolution carries over into the closing half of this set. The animated short Water Girl (Fille d’eau), directed by Sandra Desmazières (VFF 2023’s Flowing Home), finds an elderly freedive fisher reminiscing about loved ones now far away. As a reversal of Orpheus and Eurydice, Nghiêm Quỳnh Trang’s Visiting Heaven Gate sees a daughter and mother make an ascending pilgrimage in hopes of seeing their father and husband, respectively, one last time. Together, our final two films close on the idea that love abides. By Eric Nong

A high school boy experiences his first crush and overthinks every small detail, looking for guidance from his American MMA partner who lives a fast-paced expat lifestyle. After trading all their so-called philosophical advice, both guys face their own bitter failures in love and realize there was never any formula to begin with.

English

5011

An expat and a local Vietnamese high school boy trade love stories over MMA.

After a long business trip, "Anh" returned home and sniff his wife out in bed with someone else. He said nothing, quietly disappearing.
He took a bus and went to an abandoned house in the mountains. It’s an empty house with loose doors, and if he wanted to get in, he could find a way into every corner. He chose to stay here and open a cafe for himself.
Here, strange things happen as a reflection of the things in his soul that he refuses to confront. Until he finally admitted to himself that he was truly empty and hurt.

Empty

Lệ is a young Vietnamese woman born to a family of durian farmers in the Mekong Delta. She lives a simple life, deeply connected to her family’s land but isolated from the larger world. When her father suggests she enter an arranged marriage as a way of securing her future, Lệ’s life is plunged into uncertainty. While she wraps her mind around the prospects of her future, the spirit of the land and ancestral realm begin to weave mysterious influence over her, guiding her to her final decision.

Ripe

After her father's passing, a daughter returns to Vietnam to be with her mom. Their pilgrimage to Heaven Gate reflects their struggle to connect since his loss. The mother seeks reunion with her late husband, ascending mountains for solace. The daughter, grappling with vulnerability, joins, exploring her own abyss. Together, they search for healing and understanding amidst the sublime of nature.

Visiting Heaven Gate

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