“Faith is what I am searching for” --answers the film’s main character, Thien, to his toddler nephew’s question, on what is faith, soon after his dead mother is described publicly as someone had strong faith
“Would you give your favorite toys to your friend and expect him to return them to you?” Thien asks his nephew
“He will return them to me because he is good,” answers the nephew
“Faith is a bit like that,” Thien explains to his nephew
Inside the Yellow Cocoon Shell is nearly 3-hours long, bereft of sex, violence, or crime. Further, it is slow-moving, philosophical, magical (literally and metaphorically) and charming--aspects missing in most contemporary American and British films. You don’t see fast cars in this Vietnamese Film; instead you see mopeds that often breakdown, traversing dirt tracks more often than on proper paved roads. Much of what you see in the film is rural contemporary Vietnam with birds, animals and human beings sharing space and time. Cocks crow before dawn and humans wake early to trap wild, well-fed cocks that fight for fresh territory with others. This is not a film that could conventionally compete and win an Oscar. Yet, this film has won the coveted 2023 Golden Camera award at the Cannes international film festival , from amongst debut films competing in all the competitive sections of the 2023 festival. The Vietnamese film was chosen in the ‘Director’s Fortnight’ section and won the coveted award that transcends the conventional borders of that particular section of the festival. A dream-start for a young, relatively unknown filmmaker’s career who scripted a mature screenplay with the lead character sharing the director’s name.
Thien and his toddler nephew accompany his sister-in-law Hanh's coffin to his village |
Thein (back to the camera) listens to former soldier Lu'u in his humble abode. There is no music, only diegetic sound. |
Searching for his brother Tam, Thien encounters the wise old lady who experienced a near death event and has wisdom to impart for his search |
After the conversation with lady, Thien falls asleep at the same spot, and dreams of an encounter with buffaloes |
On waking up, Thien has an urge to walk in the rain, until encountering the shrub with white butterflies |
Thien gets closer to finding his brother Tam (a sericulturist) and holds Tam's child surrounded by yellow silk cocoons |
Tam's new wife with Tam's child leads Thien to Tam's work spot |
At Tam's work spot, Thien falls asleep, Tam's wife and child disappears, and the farm owner (back to camera) states that there is no Tam there. (For confused filmgoers. the maroon bag on the moped is crucial to explain matters) |
The last shot: Thien lies in the brook as the gently flowing waters of the brook stroke his body |
Inside the Yellow Cocoon Shell may not appeal to the millions who love commercial cinema and believe the Oscars, the BAFTAs and the Golden Globes honor the best in world cinema, oblivious of good cinema of a different kind being made elsewhere on the globe. That is where the three big film festivals of the world (Cannes, Berlin, and Venice) step in to alert us to the fact such films do exist. Knowledgeable folks know that even Hollywood’s best filmmakers compete in those festivals for early valuable recognition before the Oscar circus.
Thien An Pham’s Inside the Yellow Cocoon Shell has heralded the arrival of a new prodigy from Vietnam. This cinematic product amply proves that any young director with talent will get world recognition, if the film’s style and content are original and admirable, while specifically not spoon-feeding a lazy viewer on what the film is all about. A good film has to ultimately make the viewer think.
P.S. Inside the Yellow Cocoon Shell won the Golden Camera award at Cannes, the Roberto Rossellini award for the Best Film at the Pingyao (China) and the Best Asian feature film award at the Singapore international film festival. Three films, mentioned in passing in the above review—Memoria, The Return and Solaris have been reviewed on this blog earlier and those reviews can be accessed by clicking on their names in this postscript.