SYNOPSIS
Children of the Mist follows Di, a 12-year-old H’Mông girl, on her journey of growing up amid the clash between traditional and modern cultures. The film portrays the innocent childhood of the girl, her childhood games related to the custom of “bride kidnapping,” and then her harsh confrontation when she becomes a victim of this tradition, leading to a broken childhood and the challenges of maturation. This documentary, directed by Hà Lệ Diễm, has been acclaimed for its authentic, respectful portrayal of H’Mông culture and the complex realities faced by indigenous communities in Sa Pa. It was recognized among the top documentary films shortlisted for the Oscars.
CREDIT
Director: Hà Lệ Diễm
Hà Lệ Diễm began her documentary career after participating in Varan Vietnam’s documentary film workshop in 2016. She directed the independent documentary “Những đứa trẻ trong sương” (Children of the Mist), which gained international recognition, including becoming the first Vietnamese documentary shortlisted for the Oscars’ top 15 in 2023. She has received numerous awards such as the Best Director and Golden Lotus Award at the Vietnam Film Festival. Her work is praised for its authentic portrayal of ethnic minority life and social issues in Vietnam.
Genre: Documentary
Production: Trần Phương Thảo & Swann Dubus
Cinematography: Hà Lệ Diễm
Editing: Swann Dubus
Arards:
✦ Best Asian Film Award at the Da Nang Asian Film Festival (2023).
✦ Best Director Award at the International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam (IDFA) 2021.
✦ Best First Feature Documentary at IDFA 2021.
✦ Clarens Award for humanitarian documentary at the International Cinéma du Réel Festival (France).
✦ Best International Film Award at the TEL AVIV International Film Festival (Israel) 2022.
✦ The first Vietnamese documentary shortlisted in the Top 15 for the Best Documentary Feature category of the 2023 Oscars.
CLIPS
PHOTOS
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