“Saigon Kiss” might be misleading in that Saigon no longer exists having being renamed Ho Chi Minh City after the fall of South Vietnam. And there is a kiss but not quite the one you might expect and maybe even deserve with all the tension leading up to a moment that does not happen.
Ho Chi Minh City is a city of a never-ending flow of scooters and motorcycles and you witness that in the film. Quite a miracle I was not run over the last time I was there.
Mo (Nguyen Va Truc) cruises along in her motorcycle refusing to answer her phone. It would appear she is trying to escape an unpleasant call. She assists Vicky (Thuong Le) at the side of the road with a conked-out scooter. A random encounter becomes what one senses may be a journey, possibly life changing.
Pay close attention to this Vietnamese 22-minute short film and it all becomes more beautiful at its conclusion. Sizzling anticipation so marvellously captured.
Directed by Hong Anh Nguyen.
Playing 6March2025 at 13:00hrs at VIFF as a Canadian premiere part of the Hatch Short Programme.
The 20th anniversary of GEMFest champions women in film and gender diverse films.
RKS 2025 Film Rating 92/100.
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