BIG FATHER, SMALL FATHER, AND OTHER STORIES/ CHA VA, CON VA

Vietnam, 2015, 100 minutes, Colour.
Directed by Phang Dang Di

A film from which takes on quite a lot of stories, as indicated by the title. Most of them are connected, but there are some which seem to be introduced at random.

The most impressive aspect of the film is its picture of life along the river, the various huts, the boats, the people and their different ways of life, some working, some unemployed, some students, especially the central character who wants to be a photographer. The film also presents some of the sleazy aspects of life, especially the clubs, the women and their seductive dancing, the group dancing men, along the lines of Broadway musical. There are also gangs, fights, and some of the characters taking refuge in the countryside. There are also issues of homosexual orientation.

The picture of Vietnam is quite effective – but there are many more films which bring the country to life more strongly and interestingly.

1. The title, the stories, moving from one to another? By association, characters, narrative, tensions, the overall impact?

2. The river, the boats, the huts, homes? The city, the clubs, gangs, the music in the cafe, selling candy? The ballet rehearsals? The cabaret songs and dances? The audiences?

3. The country, the jungle, the river, the boat, the mountains, activities, cooking, meals, sleeping, sharing? The people of the village?

4. The interlude with the foreigners, the girls and the mud spa, the girl caught in the spa, the shower not working – the meaning and purpose of this story?

5. Vu, the focus, his camera work, developing the films, the gift from his father, its being broken at the club, his friend getting a new one, fool and his refusal because of the origins of the money? The poses, with the apple? Vu and his age, at home, the men and women in the household, the friends? At the clubs, observing? Going to the country, sharing? The father, urging him to drink, wanting his sexual initiation? His homosexual tendencies, the discussion with the woman? His relationship with, a future?

6. The range of men, at home, friends, brothers, at the club, the bartender, the court’s men in their performances with the girl, the gang arriving, smashing the bar? Thang and his borrowing the money? The music in the streets, the girl selling the candy? The intrusion, the bashing? Escapes? The effect of the time outside the city? Vu and his meeting with Thang again, the discussions, the brutal bashing, hospital? The restlessness?

7. The women, love, performance at the club, ‘s boys, sexual activity, cooking, being secondary and society? The father, good man, hard man, with his son, the gift of the camera, his concerns, with the woman, the sexual initiation, seeing the couple in the boat and his rocking it?

8. The issue of sterilisation, declarations that there were children and the need for being sterile, lining up, the calling of names, interview, the questions, lies the money grant? Vu and his decision to follow through?

9. Vietnamese life in the city, in the 21st century, the history of colonialism, the Vietnam war, the presence of the Americans, drugs and prostitution, a modern view – hopeful or not?