ACF - Asian Cinema Fund

2019 Asian Network of Documentary (AND) Fund

LIST Children of the Mist

Synopsis

Di is a 13-year-old girl living in a Hmong ethnic minority village of North Vietnam. She dreams of entering high school but she must convince her parents that studying is not a waste of time and money. In her community, marriage is linked to a controversial tradition: when a boy is interested in a girl, he organises her kidnapping. This process sometimes turns pretty dangerous and dark. Di fears to be kidnapped: getting married so young would mark the end of her dream to see what is beyond the mountains surrounding the village.

Director's Note

Two years ago, I taught a workshop in a region hosting Hmong minorities. Observing the young girls playing in the foggy landscapes, I felt like I was looking at my own reflection in a mirror with 15 years of distance. I became very close to Di, a 13-year-old girl, who gave me access to the whole community. She became like a younger sister, sharing with me all her hopes and fears. This is how I came up with the idea to make a film about the holy time of childhood and its disappearance. We decided to document this major step in her life which will determine her whole future.

Festivals

2021 IDFA - Award for Best Directing, IDFA Best First Feature Special Mention
2022 Cinema du Reel - Clarens Prize for Humanist Documentary Filmmaking
2022 Visions du Reel - Perception Change Project Award
2022 Seattle International Film Festival
2022 Las Palmas De Gran Canaria International Film Festival - Jury′s Special Mention
2022 San Francisco International Film Festival - GGA Docs Competition
2022 Taiwan International Documentary Festival (TIDF) - Next Generation Award
2022 Sydney Film Festival
2022 Edinburgh International Film Festival
2022 Melbourne International Film Festival
2022 Hong Kong International Film Festivel - Documentary Competition
2022 DMZ International Film Festival - International Competition
2023 EBS International Documentary Film Festival

Still Cut

LIST