Vietnamese actress debuts in Cannes as producer

Actress Nha Phuong is present at Cannes Film Festival 2018 to show her short film Infill and Full Set - Photo: ngoisao.net

The film is the first short that Phuong has produced. She also plays the main role. The 14-minute film is about a Vietnamese woman who immigrates to Britain illegally. She is pregnant and doesn’t know which way to turn. She has to use false identification to try to get employed at a nail salon, but unfortunately, on her first test day her services get her into trouble.

"The short film brings me to Cannes," said the actress. "I have a chance to meet and get experiences from filmmakers from over the world. I hope to get access to new perspectives and unique filming styles. I aim to use this to be able to set my own path in the industry."

Phuong generally tries to work on films centred on women. As a woman, she sympathises with the pain that many unlucky women have to go through in life. This is the first time that she’s played the role of a pregnant woman.

Phuong is a popular actress in Vietnam. She was a graduate of the HCM City University of Theater & Cinematography and began her career three years ago making television series and short films. Her works have won acclaim from young audiences. Her latest motion pictures, Yeu Di Dung So (Kiss and Spell) and Loi Bao (In the Storm), were big hits last year.

Kiss and Spell earned her the best actress in a leading role of feature film award at the Gold Kite Awards by the Vietnam Cinematography Association.

At the invitation of the organization, the actress will also attend sidelines events for producers including workshops, meet and greets, and parties at Cannes.

Infill & Full Set was made by director Dao Duc Hai as a project for his masters degree in art film graduation from the faculty of arts and creative industries, Middlesex University in London.

Two Vietnamese short films, Turtle Soup by Yeti team and 16.30 by Tran Dung Thanh Huy were selected to be screened at Festival Corner in 2012-13. This year, other short film Pas D’yeux (Faceless) by Nguyen Phan Thao Dao will also be screened at the corner. Hai Phuong (Furie) is on sale at the film market in the framework of the Cannes Film Festival 2018.