Vietnamese film participating in Toronto and Busan International Film Festival releases first images

Do Thi Hai Yen and Lien Binh Phat in "Ky Nam Restaurant". (Photo: Galaxy Studio)

The production crew of the movie "Quan Ky Nam" has released the first images of the movie through the teaser trailer and teaser poster.

The movie "Quan Ky Nam" is set in an old residential area, taking the audience back to Saigon in the 1980s with a nostalgic, dark color scheme, realistically recreated through 35mm film.

The film revolves around Khang - a young translator. Khang comes to Saigon to take up a new job, where he meets Ky Nam, an older woman who makes a living by cooking for the residents in the apartment building. Although initially shy, their friendship gradually blossoms and develops into a bond that transcends age, pain and circumstances. Khang's appearance gradually disrupts Ky Nam's quiet life, causing two sensitive and sympathetic souls to find comfort. Secrets are gradually revealed, new characters gradually appear, leading to stories full of current events.

Lien Binh Phat once again participates in Leon Quang Le's project.

Frames of the film revealed through the teaser trailer and teaser poster show that the film has a nostalgic, poetic and artistic color.

Director Leon Le is best known for the film “Song Lang” (2018), which tells the story of a reformed opera troupe in a difficult time when a series of modern entertainment media invaded the lives of the audience, as well as the fates surrounding that troupe. “Quan Ky Nam” is both Leon Le’s return and marks his reunion with the talented actor Lien Binh Phat, who was recently nominated for Best Actor at the Golden Bell Awards of Taiwanese cinema (China).

“Quan Ky Nam” also marks the return of actress Do Thi Hai Yen after many years of absence from the screen. After announcing her participation in the historical film project “Ho linh trang si – Bi am mau vac Dinh”, Do Thi Hai Yen surprised the audience by becoming an emotional face in “Quan Ky Nam”.

The film was shot entirely on 35mm film, with nostalgic colors, making the audience exclaim "like being soaked in the old sunshine". The trailer takes viewers through simple, familiar frames of the residential area, of the streets of Saigon, both strange and familiar, more than 40 years ago. From living space, sound, light to daily life, every detail is taken care of.

The meticulousness in the production process has created a visual feast, with the setting designed down to the smallest detail. The interior and exterior of the apartment complex and the streets of Saigon are all shown with impressive realism.

“Quan Ky Nam” is built with a rhythmic, sometimes slow rhythm. The central love story of the film is also delicately portrayed by director Leon Le. Khang and Ky Nam’s eyes, gestures, and even the deliberate avoidance of eye contact convey more than words. A love like an undercurrent, smoldering but persistent, although restrained but still beautiful. Thanks to that, although the director avoids direct description, the few moments between the two characters, where normal dialogue gives way to expression, become extremely impressive.

It is not easy for a film to be included in the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF), so being selected to TIFF is considered a miracle for Vietnamese films, demonstrating that works with strong domestic cultural identity can also be recognized internationally.

“Quan Ky Nam” is a work that continues Leon Le’s passion for memory, art and human intimacy. The film had its world cinema debut at a series of international film festivals such as Toronto (TIFF) 2025 in the Special Presentations category, screened in the A Window on Asian Cinema section at the Busan International Film Festival (BIFF) 2025, screened in the Special Presentations category at the Bangkok International Film Festival and was selected to compete at the Hawaii Film Festival (HIFF) 2025.

At these festivals, “Quan Ky Nam” received praise from international experts and audiences. Many critics rated the film as “emotionally subtle, visually refined” and “bringing a very unique slice of Vietnamese cinema”. On the film review site Letterboxd, international audiences also expressed their emotions at the gentle but profound story, especially the soul-mate connection between the two main characters.

The combination once again between director Leon Le and actor Lien Binh Phat in a film with strong artistic colors like "Quan Ky Nam" is not only expected to be a memorable work, but the audience also waits for a truly unique way of storytelling, with Leon Quang Le's own artistic personality, as he once showed in "Song Lang".

“Quan Ky Nam” is scheduled to premiere on November 28, distributed by Galaxy Studio.