Vietnamese Film “Cu Li Never Cries” Wins GWFF Best First Feature At Berlinale

Born and raised in Hanoi, after studying urban planning at Hanoi Architectural University, Lan taught himself filmmaking. His short films have already been presented twice at the Berlinale, Another City in 2016, and Blessed Land in 2019. Cu Li Never Cries is his debut feature film.

People's Artist Minh Chau (left) and actor Hoang Ha in a scene from the movie Culi Never Cries - Photo: An Nam Productions/Cadence Studio

According to VOV, this is Pham Ngoc Lan's biggest film project since 2017, and the production units are An Nam Productions (HCMC) and Cadence Studio (Hanoi).

In the film, Lady M., a blue-collar retiree in Vietnam, returns to Berlin when she learns that her estranged German husband has died. The legacy her husband has left her is an urn with his ashes and Cu Li, a primate found primarily in Southeast Asia. Upon returning to Vietnam, Lady M. finds that her pregnant niece Van is rushing into marriage, and fears that she will make the same life mistakes as she did. Lady M. proceeds to embark upon a journey retracing her memories, evoking Vietnam’s storied past.

The story is the contrast between the pilgrimage in thoughts of the past of a woman who has lived most of her life and her niece who is planning to get married with worries about the uncertain future. The film depicts the present, the future, and the complex echoes of Vietnamese history thoughtfully and poetically.

(From left to right) Director Pham Ngoc Lan with People's Artist Minh Chau, Hoang Ha and Le Thi Ha Phuong on the red carpet of Berlin Film Festival 2024. Photo: Berlin Film Festival

Since 2006, when it introduced the GWFF Best First Feature Award, the Berlinale has been even more committed to supporting the next generation of filmmakers.

The award is endowed with EUR 50,000 (about US $54,000), donated by the GWFF (Gesellschaft zur Wahrnehmung von Film- und Fernsehrechten), a society dedicated to safeguarding film and television rights.

In 2024, 16 directorial feature films debuts from the sections Competition, Encounters, Panorama, Forum, and Generation, were nominated.

The 74th Berlin Film Festival takes place from February 15 to 25 in Berlin, Germany. The movie Culi Never Cries was released in Germany from February 20 to February 25 in theaters within the Berlin Film Festival.

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