thư - thư | letter - letter

The work is a two-part film, structured as a sent letter and a letter received in return. The first part unfolds within the cramped, jolting space of a long-distance bus—the very vehicles that carried me away from my hometown to a larger city for my studies. Amidst this stifling atmosphere, a small TV on the bus transforms the interior into a mobile cinema, broadcasting 'Thúy Nga Paris by Night.' This overseas Vietnamese variety show, though officially banned in Vietnam, continues to circulate through bootleg channels.

The second part shifts into a music video format, reimagining songs from the 'New Wave' movement of the Vietnamese diaspora in the United States during the 1980s. These melodies, which may seem repetitive or nonsensical, represent an effort to soothe the trauma of migration and the lingering echoes of war.

Through this re-enactment, I strive to connect with a distant community, isolated by history and geography, through a shared sense of loneliness and nostalgia. The film is a journey seeking personal connection within collective memories that transcend the boundaries of space, time, and censorship.