Vietnam’s Lost Cinema Era Inspires Taiwan Creative Content Fest Project ‘Waiting for Godard’
A new project examining the decline of Vietnam’s state-run film industry and its impact on veteran filmmakers is being developed by director Vu Minh Nghia, set for production in 2025.
“Waiting for Godard” follows a young independent director who interviews former filmmakers from the Vietnam Feature Film Studio, exploring the aftermath of the studio’s 2017 sale to a transportation company – a move that left numerous industry veterans unemployed.
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The project is selected for Taipei’s Taiwan Creative Content Fest (TCCF) where it is part of the Taiwan Creative Content Agency (TAICCA) and Produire au Sud feature film pitch. Vu discussed the cultural shifts that inspired the project with Variety. “When Vietnam entered the late 20th and early 21st centuries, Western culture flooded in quickly, especially music and movies. American and Hong Kong films dominated the market, making people no longer interested in wartime propaganda films,” he explained.
“In the past 20 years, Vietnam has changed very quickly, but it seems that economic development does
not go hand in hand with culture. Materialism is emphasized, leading to many tragicomedies,” Vu added.
The film aims to capture what Vu describes as a “skeptical and ridiculous” atmosphere, reflecting the struggles of artists grappling with changing times. The director draws from personal observations of filmmakers and artists he’s known who struggled with alcoholism, illness, and frustration.
“Sometimes it feels like sexual impotence. I want the audience to laugh at the absurdity of that reality, but at the same time feel sad and sometimes offended. And above all, it is the feeling of the absurdity of this life,” Vu said.
The project brings together a notable production team, including producer Nguyen Trung Nghia, whose short film “Mulberry Fields” premiered at Cannes’ Directors’ Fortnight, and veteran producer Fran Borgia, founder of Akanga Film Asia, known for producing Singapore’s first Golden Lion contender at Venice, “Stranger Eyes” and Cannes-winning “Tiger Stripes.”
Vu, whose previous work includes shorts “U Oi” (Singapore International Film Festival) and “Live in Cloud-Cuckoo Land” (Venice Film Festival – Orizzonti), is seeking international co-production partners, particularly from Taiwan, and exploring funding opportunities at TCCF.
The film is currently in development, with pre-production scheduled for 2025, followed by fall shooting and late 2025 post-production. Release is targeted for 2026.
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