Three Seasons
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This article is about Vietnamese American film. For the Canadian film 3 saisons also known as 3 Seasons, see 3 Seasons. For Swedish rock band, see Three Seasons (band).
| Three Seasons | |
|---|---|
American theatrical release poster
| |
| Directed by | Tony Bui |
| Produced by | Tony Bui |
| Written by | Tony Bui, Timothy Linh Bui |
| Starring | Nguyen Ngoc Hiep, Don Duong, Nguyen Huu Duoc, Zoe Bui, Tran Manh Cuong, Harvey Keitel, Hoang Phat Trieu |
| Music by | Richard Horowitz (Original Score) |
| Distributed by | October Films (USA), Arthaus Filmverleih(Germany), Mars Distribution (France), Versátil Home Vídeo (Brazil) |
Release dates
| April 30, 1999 (USA) |
Running time
| 113 min. (theatrical) 104 min. (USA) |
| Language | Vietnamese |
| Budget | $2 million[citation needed] |
| Box office | $2,021,698 (USA)[1] |
Three Seasons (Vietnamese title: Ba Mùa) is an American Vietnamese language film shot in Vietnam about the past, present, and future of Ho Chi Minh City in the early days of Doi Moi. It is a poetic film that tries to paint a picture of the urban culture undergoing westernization. The movie takes place in Ho Chi Minh City, formerly Saigon. As the characters try to come to terms with the invasion of capitalism, neon signs, grand 5-star hotels, and Coca-Cola signs, their paths begin to merge.
This was the first American film to be made in Vietnam after Bill Clinton lifted the embargo. The filmmakers were followed by Vietnamese inspectors throughout filming.
Plot[edit]
In the misty mornings of Saigon, young girls wake up to pick lotuses from a flower pond, to later sell to American tourists and fellow Vietnamese alike. To pass the time, the girls sing rich folk songs that touch the heart of a poet (Teacher Dao) who lives in an old temple overlooking the pond. Teacher Dao (Manh Cuong Tran) suffered leprosy at the age of 26 and had consequently lost his fingers.
The girls (one of them a newcomer named Kien An (Nguyen Ngoc Hiep) are trucked off to the bustling streets of Saigon where they sell the lotus in bundles for 5,000 đồng VND (roughly 30 cents USD). In Saigon, we meet different aspects of its inhabitants. Woody is a 9- to 10-year-old street peddler who sells cigarettes, chewing gum, and various other things in a box that hangs on a strap to his shoulder. Hai (Don Duong) is a cyclo driver who hangs out with his buddies near a grand hotel.
Through a chance meeting, Hai eventually falls in love with Lan (Zoe Bui) who works as a prostitute in big hotels. Even seemingly happy after receiving every American dollars from her clients, she carries a silent resentment of herself and her clients. She tells Hai that she won't be doing this job for long and dreams of sleeping in an air-conditioned room, with no one to bother her. Lan tries to embrace the capitalist invasion by re-inventing herself and though she resents the lifestyle, she promises to one day live like them. Hai respects her and sees through her pain. After winning $200 USD in a cyclo race, he treats her to her dream. Lan feels guilty and rejects Hai's advances. She feels that she is incapable and doesn't deserve Hai's special treatment. During one of the last scenes of the film, Lan finally comes to terms with herself and Hai as he takes her to a place streaming with red phượng vĩ (Royal Poinciana) blossoms. Lan, dressed in a beautiful white áo dài (traditional Vietnamese dress), marvels at her surroundings.
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