THE WHITE SILK DRESS
Synopsis
Set in the turbulent Vietnam of the 1950s, Dần and her husband Gù - a kind, hunchbacked man - as they flee from oppression and war to start a new life in Hội An. Despite poverty, their home is filled with love as they raise four children. They dream of sending their daughters to school, but can’t afford the required white silk ‘áo dài’ uniforms. In a quiet act of devotion, Dần sacrifices her only white silk dress - her sacred wedding keepsake - to sew uniforms for her daughters. Through hardship and heartache, the family struggles to survive, and the white áo dài gradually becomes a symbol of maternal love, dignity, and sacrifice amidst suffering.
Director's biography
Lưu Huỳnh (born 1960 in Saigon) is a Vietnamese-American film director and screenwriter. He emigrated to the United States at the age of 16, studied filmmaking, and began his career working on popular programs such as Paris By Night. Returning to Vietnam to pursue narrative cinema, he made a major impact with The White Silk Dress (2006), a critically acclaimed film that won numerous national and international awards. His other notable works include Huyền thoại bất tử (2009) and Lấy chồng người ta (2012). Known for his deeply humanistic storytelling, emotional depth, and striking visual aesthetics, Lưu Huỳnh is considered one of the leading voices in contemporary Vietnamese cinema.