Vietnamese film selected to participate in Sundance International Film Festival 2022

The Sundance Film Festival is one of the largest and most prestigious film festivals in the world. This year, the festival received 14,849 submissions, comprising nearly 4,000 feature films, including 2,110 from countries outside the United States. After several rigorous selection rounds, only 82 films from 28 countries were chosen to participate in the Sundance Film Festival, 75 of which were premieres. In Southeast Asia, only two films were selected: those from Vietnam and the Philippines.

"Maika - The Girl from Another Planet," directed by Ham Tran, is inspired by the famous Czechoslovakian work that has been associated with many generations of Vietnamese people, "Maika - The Girl Who Fell from the Sky," which was broadcast on Vietnamese television in 1990.

Inspired by the image of the little girl Maika, director Ham Tran created an impressive film about Hung, a boy with a broken heart after his beloved mother passed away from a serious illness. Hung lives with his father in an apartment building that is about to be demolished for reconstruction. The loneliness of losing his mother leaves Hung constantly alone until he meets Maika, a girl from another planet who is looking for her friend on Earth. Maika helps Hung heal his broken heart and find the joys that a boy his age should experience.

Director Ham Tran shared that the reason he took on the role was because he felt a deep connection with the character Hung. His mother had passed away a short time before, and Hung's grief over the loss of his mother and his internal struggles allowed him to see a reflection of himself in the character. He also stated, "When I received the news that Maika would be invited to premiere at the Sundance Film Festival, I was overjoyed. Mom, I want to dedicate this film to you."

This year, the Sundance Film Festival will take place from January 20 to 30, 2022 in the United States. Founded in 1978, Sundance has evolved from a film festival for independent filmmakers to become the largest film festival in North America and a highly anticipated annual event in the international film industry.

Khanh Ha