Two Vietnamese Directors Win Prizes at 2023 Cannes

Vietnamese-French filmmaker Tran Anh Hung. Photo: AFP

Vietnamese-French filmmaker Tran Anh Hung won the best director prize at the 76th Cannes International Film Festival for "La passion de Dodin Bouffant" (The Pot-au-Feu) on May 27, reported from VNA

‘The Pot-au-Feu’ was adapted from French author Marcel Rouff’s 1924 novel ‘La Vie et la passion de Dodin-Bouffant gourmet’ (The Passionate Epicure).

Set in 1885, the film depicts a romance between a chef named Eugénie (Juliette Binoche) and the gourmet named Dodin (Benoît Magimel), who have worked together for 20 years.

Directed by Tran Anh Hung (The Scent of Green Papaya, Norwegian Wood), the timeless Juliette Binoche (Chocolat, The English Patient) and captivating Benoît Magimel (Pacification, The Piano Teacher) bring to life a mesmerising tale of love and culinary artistry.

Inspired by Marcel Rouff’s novel “La Vie et la passion de Dodin-Bouffant, gourmet” (The Passionate Epicure), this historical story follows the extraordinary romance between a gifted cook and the esteemed gourmet she has served over two decades. Lines are blurred between the carnal urges of desire, and the love of really, really good food.

Previously, on May 26, Tran Anh Hung received a seven-minute standing ovation after the film premiered at Cannes.

Born in 1962 in the central city of Da Nang, Tran Anh Hung has affirmed his reputation in European and international cinema. He has established himself as the Vietnamese-born film director to win the most international awards so far.

Director Pham Thien An. Photo: AFP

Meanwhile, the prize for best first film went to "Inside the Yellow Cocoon Shell" by Vietnamese writer/director Pham Thien An. The feature originates from An’s previous short film entitled ‘Hay Thuc Tinh Va San Sang’ (Stay Awake, Be Ready), which was presented with the top prize of the Directors’ Fortnight section in Cannes 2019.

Vietnamese movie “Ben Trong Vo Ken Vang, known as “Inside The Yellow Cocoon Shell” in English, receives a five-minute standing ovation from audiences.

Pham Thien An wrote the script and made his first-time feature in 2020 from his award-winning short movie Hay Thuc Tinh va San Sang (Stay Awake, Be Ready).

The movie tells the story of a journey taken by a young man named Thien who is tasked with delivering his sister-in-law's body to their countryside hometown following a tragic motorcycle accident.

Taking place amid the mystical landscapes of rural Vietnam, Thien begins a search for his older brother, who vanished years ago.

The film was produced by Vietnam’s JK Film and Singapore’s Protocol in co-production with France’s Deuxième Ligne Films and Spain’s Fasten Films.

It took a total of four years to complete the movie, with three shootings taking place in 2020, 2021, and 2022.

‘Inside the Yellow Cocoon Shell’ is a psychological adventure, revolving around a man trying to bring his sister-in-law’s dead body back to their hometown before he attempts to find his long-lost brother.

It was among list of 19 movies premiering in the Directors’ Fortnight section at the 2023 Cannes Film Festival.

Director Pham Thien An was born in the Central Highlands province of Lam Dong in 1989. He has bagged a number of awards, including the 48 Hours Film Project in Ho Chi Minh City and top prize at the CJ Short Film Making Project, one of the top short film contests in Vietnam.

In 2019, his short movie ‘Cam Lang’ (The Mute) premiered at Palm Spring Short Movies Festival and was selected to compete at nearly 15 international film festivals around the world.

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