Viet and Nam

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.