The Best Vietnamese Movies to Learn International Cinema

Although the film has been largely a commercial business for more than half of a century, some still could and can be considered true masterpieces. Oftentimes, Eastern philosophy largely helped screenwriters and directors from Asia create such movies. Many Chinese, Japanese, and Korean films have been very well regarded as some of the most thought-provoking and artful pieces of the last few decades. Yet, there’s another Asian country that doesn’t seem to get the attention it deserves regarding cinema. And that country is Vietnam.

A Unique Approach

Vietnam is known to the world as a country with a rather unfortunate history. This might create an impression that Vietnamese movies are mostly about war. Yet, that’s pretty far from the truth. While Vietnamese screenwriters and directors often explore the culture of this country through tragedy, they appear to do it in their own distinct and visually stunning way. Although Vietnamese movies are not very well-known or popular internationally, they can often compete with some of the best films of all time regarding quality. So, if you still haven’t, go take a look through the Vietnamese translation services to provide you with subtitles and start watching. Here are just a few examples that will make you love Vietnamese movies and view international cinema from a radically different point of view.

5 Best Vietnamese Movies to Learn International Cinema

1. The Scent of Green Papaya. Considered one of the best Vietnamese films, the Scent of Green Papaya is a philosophical and visual masterpiece indeed. Depicting family tragedy from the perspective of a young servant girl that grows in this family, the movie largely accents on small visual details. Essentially, you watch a beautiful depiction of nature placed side-by-side with a tragic but poetic and rather peaceful life of a Saigon family.
2. When the Tenth Month Comes. Another movie considered to be one of the best ever filmed in Vietnam, 1984 When the Tenth Month Comes, speaks about the Vietnam War. Yet, it takes a rather unique approach, making it a movie worth seeing. Depicting the life of the family that suffered a loss through the war, this movie will make you take another perspective on that horrible event in human history and sympathize with people who suffered because of the war even more.
3. The White Silk Dress. This one is another movie taking a look at the war from yet another unique and interesting perspective. Released in 2006, the movie depicts the life of two servants who escaped their servitude to start a family and live happily on their own. Yet, they have to face some considerable challenges such as poverty, natural disasters, and war, the latter of which comes unexpectedly for them. With beautiful visual metaphors and deep philosophical meaning, this 2006 piece is certainly worth attention.
4. The Floating Lives. Quite a peaceful 2010 film adapted from Nguyen Ngoc Tu’s short story Boundless Rice Field, the movie makes a beautiful contrast with the previous two entries on this list. Depicting different moments in the life of people living in the Mekong River delta, the movie provides an insight into the life of Vietnamese people outside the war context. If you don’t know much about Vietnam but want to learn something about the country’s culture, this movie is certainly for you.
5. Don’t Be Afraid, Bi. Another relatively innocent movie released in 2010, this character-centered movie focuses on a Hanoi family quietly ravaged by a bitter divide. However, a small hope manifested in the youngest child of the family named Bi manages to gradually unite the family back together, largely thanks to his charisma and childish wisdom. Containing lots of philosophical metaphors and motives, the movie is a gift to everyone who loves thought-provoking and visually satisfying material.

Underrated Gems

Vietnamese movies appear to be severely underrated. Essentially, they contain all the elements that most of the popular Asian movies and TV shows are regarded for nowadays. Deep philosophy, steady development of the characters and plot, and lots of cultural references of the Asian East. Yet, even though Vietnamese directors and screenwriters managed to develop their very own unique approach to those elements, their works are not as appreciated. It’s about time to give them justice and start watching movies from Vietnam as they are certainly not limited to those on the list above.

BIO:

Interested in movies, TV shows, and other popular flicks, Merissa Moore always keeps herself in trend and when she doesn’t feel like something she’s interested in is trendy, she makes every effort to fix that. Merissa does enjoy unusual things, as they are always interesting and original. That’s why she likes sharing them with as many people as possible.