Monsoon (2019) - full transcript

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Fridge, rice cooker here.

Swimming pool is on roof.

You have water in the fridge
and fresh fruit from the market.

Here's an inventory list.
Everything is in order.

Thanks.

- Wi-Fi password?
- All in here.

The network, password,
contact details.

Oh, here's a map.

We are here.

Floral market, famous pagoda,
Chinatown, Notre Dame Cathedral.



OK. Thank you.

Three sets of keys.

- Any problem, please call me.
- Sure.

- Thank you.
- Thank you.

Hello.

- How are you?
- Good.

Come in.

Was it easy to find?

Your directions were good.

My daughter. Katie.

- Hello.
- Hello, Katie.

- Good to meet you.
- Good to meet you.

She is six.

Speaks a little English.



I teach her.

Where are you staying?

Thao Dien, in District 2.

If I see you in the street,
I cannot recognise you.

It's been a long time. 30 years.

Same age as Katie when you left.

Do you remember my mother?

She read stories to you
when you were very young.

Yeah, I have
a vague remembrance of that.

My Vietnamese
isn't very good any more.

Do you mind
telling her that for me?

Ah.

We sang from my mother's song book.

Your mother would join.

She liked to show off her voice.

Yeah, I can believe that.

How long are you here?

Once I settle everything,
I'd like to travel a bit.

So... I'm not really sure.

You should visit your old home.

Yeah, I'm going to.

I actually brought
some presents.

That's just some biscuits.

Some chocolates.

Whisky.

This is really good.

You put tap water in it
and it filters it clean.

Yeah, I...

I didn't know what you would...

I hope you like them.

So many gifts.

Thank you.

Your English is very good.

Better than your Vietnamese.

How'd you learn it?

I used to show tourists
around the city.

Walking tours.

Will you visit Ba Chieu market?

- Yeah, I went there.
- Changed so much, no?

I remember some things but...

..others, it's not very clear.

We played there.

I have this picture
of me and two boys

trying to search out
for crickets.

Yes.

That was with me.

- Hello, everybody.
ALL: Hello.

My name is Tran,
I'm your tour guide for today.

We will go to Cu Chi tunnel now

and the trip will be around
two hours 30 minutes

and there will be
two toilet stops.

We will have lunch at Cu Chi

and then start heading back
for Saigon

around five or six,
depending on the traffic, OK?

? KUMI SOLO:
I Know What Boys Like

- There you go.
- Thank you.

I love this song.
Do you know it?

No, I've not heard of it.

It's a cover of The Waitresses.

And I love
that she keeps her accent.

That's what makes the song.

And how are you finding Saigon?

My God, it's intense.
It's relentless.

Is it your first time here?

Yeah.

You look like your picture,
thank God.

Everything I said was true.

Age, size...

- Yeah?
- ..height.

Better to be honest.

I don't mean we reveal
our innermost secrets, you know.

You know, just the basics.

Things that are...

You know, that have...

Well, you know.

I'm rambling.

? LAURA BRANIGAN:
Self Control

What?

"Please don't waste my time.

Be forthcoming
with recent clear face pics.

I want to see your eyes.

Be honest and upfront
with your intentions."

I sound fucking crazy.

This is nice.

Stressful day?

No, no.

I just had some errands,
bought a new lamp.

Boring stuff, really. You?

I had a walk
round my neighbourhood.

They have networking nights
here.

Oh, yeah?

Well, no,
it's at their other bar,

near where you're staying.
It's called Somo.

It's become a big event.
I often go.

? I haven't got the will
to try and fight

? Against a new tomorrow
so I guess I'll just believe it

Are you the manager?

MAN:
I'm CEO.

You want new phone?

No, I'm OK. Thank you.

I bought this for my mum.

Everything else
was too complicated.

Call.

Hang up.

That's it.

Simple. Perfect.

Your mum... loaned us some money
for this shop.

I remember her saying.

Here, eat.

Looking forward to this.
I'm salivating.

I went to our old flat.

I wanted to have a look inside.

- Did you?
- No.

I tried to find
that... that pond.

The one out the back.

That's filled in now.

Hien... does he remember much?

He remembers more.

He's called Henry now.

Henry?

One morning, I went looking
for you and Henry.

Everything was same...

..the door, the street.

Exactly the same.

But... no one there.

Henry and his family
are coming soon.

I'm sure they'd love to see you.

He's married?

Yeah.

He's got two kids,
Bruce and Lee.

Do you have any children?

No.

I had no idea
that we were leaving.

Mum said
that we couldn't tell anyone

in case we got caught.

I went to sleep one night and...

..when I woke up,
I was on a boat.

Drifted for days.

Did your family try to escape?

Your father got caught and taken
to a re-education camp.

It scared everybody.

Very risky after that.

Are you sure?

I don't think
that was my father.

He tried to escape on his own.

He was caught.

After release,
there was no choice.

All of you must escape together.

Who told you that?

My mother.

Hey, can you hear me?

Hold on a sec.

How's that? Is that better?

How are you? You look good.

Relaxed.

It feels a bit odd.

Not much.

It's all different now,
isn't it?

There's this separation.

Yeah, I felt like a tourist.

I saw Lee and his family.

I brought over some presents...

..a shortbread tin with
the Royal Family on it and...

..this bowl
that filters tap water.

Jesus.

Who brings presents

with the Royal Family
printed all over it?

It's so archaic, patronising.

Well, it wasn't meant to be.

I went to where we used to live
and the market.

I don't know.

I want to see the other places.

Yeah, I know that.

It just doesn't feel right.

I'm fine.

Don't be. Really, it's OK.

I'm fine.

Yeah, me too.

Me too.

WOMAN: Sophie runs it here,
I run it up in Hanoi.

- And we alternate every year.
- SOPHIE: It's our business.

- Is the arts scene big here?
- Yeah, it's growing.

Our tour is about
the history of art,

from colonialism
to the two Indo-China wars,

up to now.

Are you American?

No.

I'm Vietnamese. I'm from Hanoi.

You should do our tour,
it's very interesting.

- No, I'd love to.
- Great.

Thank you.

I don't have my
card, I'm afraid.

So what do you do?

I animate.

Mainly apps and online stuff.

Hey.

- Hey.
- OK?

Yeah.

This is Lewis.

- Sophie and Linh.
- Hey.

They do the...
They run the art tour.

I've been. I'm a fan.

Here.

Right.

Thank you.

- So are you here for work?
- More of an extended holiday.

No job to return to?

No, I quit.

- To go travelling?
- Yeah.

You look bored.

No, not at all.

Didn't think I'd see you again.

I'm glad you came.

What do you think of the event?

Saigon's really thriving.

It's a hive of opportunities.

You can really make something
of yourself here.

Is that why you're here?

I'm here to oversee
the production

of my clothing company.

To exploit cheap labour?

To contribute towards
their growing economy.

This is one of my designs.

It's really nice.

Yeah, it's a cool brand.

Why Curve?

Cos I'm not straight.

Nice.

Totally awesome, man.

- Are you laughing at me?
- No, I'm not.

I wasn't.

It's a nice name,
with your own curve.

I get it. It's playful.

Fucker.

So, how are you finding
District 2?

It doesn't feel
like the rest of Saigon.

I mean, there are some parts

that remind me of the Vietnam
that I grew up in.

Mainly the poorer parts.

Like that street
behind the hospital.

When we first met, you said
it was your first time here.

Did I?

Yeah.

You did.

I lied.

Sorry.

Why?

To keep it simple.

You just can't get enough of me,
can you?

I have that effect.

So you were born here?

Yeah.

Here in Saigon.

How old were you
when you left here?

Six.

Yeah, I was also born
after the war.

Just a beer.

I'll have the same.

- Do you have any siblings?
- No.

No family?

Yeah, my mother's in New Jersey.

She's my delivery
coordinator/line manager.

What did your parents do here?

My dad worked for
a Southern Vietnamese official.

Delivery man, driver, helper.

Was he under suspicion
after the reunification?

Yeah, he was.

- Cam on.
- Cam on.

When I was getting ready
to come here my first time...

..I thought about sewing
a Canadian badge on my backpack.

I just wasn't sure...

..how they'd treat me.

Do you ever feel a sense...

It's not my gener...
I don't mean I don't.

It's not that I don't feel
any guilt. Of course I do.

Ask me again.

How do you feel?

I'm great. I'm perfect.

Look at me.

In the beginning,
I felt unprepared.

But the kids here...

they don't care
about the war any more.

They want their dreams...
their careers.

I remember growing up in London.

Every Vietnamese person I met
lost a family member here.

Yeah, it took a great deal
out of us too.

A generation forgotten,
a country divided.

It's not a war
we can recall with pride.

Why would you want
to recall it with pride?

Anyway, I didn't sew the badge.

What is it?

Can I smoke in here?

You've got to go outside.

Is the wooden box an urn?

It's my mother's ashes.

We're returning them home.

Who's "we"?

My brother arrives next week...

..with my father's ashes.

It's not what you think, though.

They passed at different times,

Mum more recently,
about a year ago now.

Where will you scatter
the ashes?

I hardly recognise this country
any more.

My parents rarely talked of it.

You never asked them?

It was like drawing blood
from a stone.

It was a traumatic time
for them.

Do you remember
when you were young?

You were so desperate to be
like everybody else...

..to have fun...

join the Scouts, go camping.

How they loved to go camping.

They loved
boil-in-the-bag bloody rice.

For fuck's sake.

Then suddenly they're gone.

And there's this cavity.

If only I knew then
what I know now.

I would have asked them all day,
every day, just wore them down.

Should you wait
for your brother?

No, he's happy
for me to do the searching.

Just choose somewhere
obvious and tacky.

Do you have anywhere in mind?

Somewhere momentous.

What about where you lived?

I think they're gonna
knock that down soon.

How about where they were born?

Yeah, I'm heading over to Hanoi.
It's where they're from.

When are you going?

A couple of days.
I'm taking the train.

And then your brother
arrives after that?

Yeah.

You'll love Hanoi.
It hasn't changed much.

- Really?
- Yeah, it's beautiful.

Your parents' old house
might look exactly as it was.

I can give you a lift
to the station.

You don't have to.

The pond was here.

I've got fond memories
of this place.

There was a wooden bridge
over the pond

to these communal toilets.

Yes. Every year
they have a festival.

To catch the fish.

Here.

Your parents' old address
in Hanoi.

We'd like to be there.

We will find the right place.

No, of course. Absolutely.

Can I ask you something?

Sure.

Do you have photos of my family
when we were young here?

I don't know.

My father burnt
all our pictures.

When we escaped,
he was so worried

that if the government
found pictures

of our friends and family,
they'd be punished.

So he burnt them all.

I'll ask my mum.

It's a local temple.
No tourists.

Our families
would come here often.

No?

Saigon is changing
so quickly now.

But this place
has stayed the same.

She's the goddess of seafarers.

I know the streets
like the back of my hand.

What's funny?

No, it's just...
It's a nice expression.

Why has it been so long
for you to return?

Out of respect.

They forbade us.

You're a good son.

You must miss her.

Want a piggyback
to the entrance?

Please don't.

I'd better go.

Hey, wait.

The other night...

I don't want you to think
that I'm...

I mean, I do believe
a generation was lost.

My dad was one of them.

But I am not one of those Yanks
that think we've won

and sticks
a freakin' flag in it.

I'm clearly not that, right?

- Take it easy.
- Yeah.

Take it easy.

Do you know

if there is any communal
carriage here?

There isn't.

There are some carriages with
seats, but they're all numbered.

I'm Stephane.

Kit.

- Good to meet you.
- Good to meet you.

Are you English?

Yeah.

- You?
- French.

Brest... Bretagne.

Where are you heading to?

To Da Nang and then to Hoi.
What about you?

I'm getting off at Hanoi.

38 hours. Good luck with that.

Hello? Hello?

Hello, boys! How are you?

Well, he is very mean.

Oh, Lord.

Ohh, it is so hot!

You boys are gonna be
sweating like little pigs!

Me too. I can't wait to see you.

I'll see you soon. Bye!

Bye!

They're pretty excited,
aren't they?

Lewis.

He's American.

There's this...
old soul about him.

You know?

Anyway, I'm in Hanoi.

I did.

I'm just not sure.

I don't know any more.

It's tiring.

I feel tired.

Yeah, I remember that.

It meant everything to them
that we went to uni.

But you wanted to be
in a rap group, didn't you?

The Mixed Boyz!

Oh! They made you
hold your ears and kneel down!

What were you thinking?

LINH: We'll look
at the Franco-Vietnamese

and American-Vietnam War.

How artists became these tools

for boosting morale
and for communicating

and the works
that came out from that.

We then compare
Northern and Southern art.

The last chapter
is contemporary art,

which is very exciting,

because this is about young
people today producing works

and the organisations

facilitating
and connecting them.

We'll actually end our tour
back here.

Please, use the toilet now
and we'll start our tour soon.

- Hello.
- Hi.

- You remembered me.
- Of course.

- Um... welcome to Hanoi.
- Thank you.

This is your first time, right?

Yeah, it is.

Where's your handsome friend?

I forgot his name.

Lewis.

It's just me.

Mm.

I think it was probably the most
unique tour I've been on.

Thank you.

I mean, it's super-insightful.

How do you put it all together?

It's mainly Sophie.

I help out with translation
and researching.

I'm impressed.

Tell my parents that.

Do they not approve?

They want me to scent tea,
take over the family business.

- Right.
- It's...

Mm.

My family makes lotus tea.

That's my parents' favourite.

I mean,
they're from here originally.

Do you like it?

I can't say that I've tried it.

Exactly. No one drinks it
any more, only old people.

Do you want to see it?

Yeah, I'd love to.
I mean, is that all right?

You have to work.

My mum gets paranoid
you'll steal the family secret.

Oh, I promise
not to steal a thing.

There are strict rules
before you can help.

What are those?

No eating durian or jackfruit
before scenting,

and if you have been
to a funeral

or if you're menstruating.

Well, I can safely say
I haven't done any of those.

- So... I'm good.
- Good.

It smells incredible in here.

What's this used for?

She asks where in Hanoi
your parents are from.

Hoan Kim Lake, around there.

These are dried
and used in soups.

We throw nothing away.
Every part is edible.

She said
it lowers the blood pressure.

Are you bored yet?

No.

You look bored, though.

Every day is like this.

Lotuses are picked
before sunrise,

we do this for 27 days.

Then it's ready.

My mother asks,
"Why did you choose England?"

The camps in Hong Kong...

they asked my mother
where she wanted to go.

Everybody chose America,
Australia, France.

No one wanted to go to England

because they said
it was too cold.

Of course, she chose England.

They all wondered why.

She said,

"I want to go England because
I love the Queen very much.

She very polite.

Very happy."

She saw a bloody picture
of the Queen and she liked it.

Are you OK?

It's just...

It's ridiculous.

What are we meant to do
with these photographs?

Did your parents
ever come back to Vietnam?

Never.

It must have been very painful
for them, not to come back.

She seemed sweet.

That story of the Queen
was funny.

She was formidable.

My parents are always
talking about the war.

My grandfather died in it.

I'm sorry.

I never met him.

The smallest size we have.

I've included the instructions
in there for you.

This is perfect. Thank you.

How much do I owe you?

- It's OK.
- No, I'd like to pay you.

It's fine. No one drinks it
any more, anyway.

I fucking love tea.

Our tea is too expensive
for everyday drinking.

There are brands that use
aroma oils for their scenting.

It's quick, cheap
and sells a lot.

The quality, it's inferior,
right?

How will my menstruation
affect the quality?

That's the superstitious part
of tradition.

I want to travel.

But they've spent so much money
on my education.

All their savings.

? THANH LAN:
Tinh Dem Lien Hoan

Hey.

Hello.

Want to come in?

I was just...

You want a coffee?

Do you like tea?

This is the proper stuff.

Only the best for you.

You're damn right.

So did you find
what you wanted in Hanoi?

I thought of something
about me to tell you.

- Oh, yeah?
- Yeah.

After I quit my job...

I took dance classes.

No way, fuck off!

Don't laugh.

Hip Hop 4 Hope was what
the classes were called.

Thank you.

Tell me about your dad.

Three years and five months ago,
he shot himself.

I went back home
to pick up the pieces.

I took my mom with me.

And I had this king-size
oscillating pain.

I got sciatica across here.

It keeps...

I couldn't listen to music
on my headphones.

It triggered the pain.

They gave me Tramadol.
You know it?

No.

It numbs you all over.

You could pinch me,
stick a pin in me...

I wouldn't feel a thing.

If you drink a beer on that,
my God!

It sends you up to the stars.

It's stunning.

- Do you still have it?
- Sometimes.

Not here, though.

I think it's something to do
with the humidity.

Is that why you're here?

My old man fought here.

18 months.

Three operations and 20 pieces
of rocket shrapnel later,

he was discharged.

And sent back home
to begin his life again.

In debriefing,
the army psychiatrist says,

"I see in your file
you have confirmed kills.

Does that make you want
to kill other people?"

He said, "No."

"Good.
That is all I wanted to hear.

You're dismissed."

Back into the world.

Back on the streets.

Was this the temple we went to?

Yes.

All our families are there.

Do you remember this,
when this picture was taken?

I'm gonna look at them properly
later.

Thank you.

Cam on.

How's your business?

It's OK.

How are you financially?

Yes. Fine.

They say when a country
becomes wealthy,

the first three things that
people buy are a mobile phone,

a flat-screen TV and a fridge.

All in that order.

I will be a very rich man.

Super rich.

Kit...

..I can't give you
the money now.

I don't have enough.

I will have in three months.

What money?

Your mum loaned us
a lot of money for my shop.

That was hers.

You don't want it back?

No.

You know...

back then...

the most urgent question
for us...

..was when and where
can we emigrate to.

We applied for Australia...

..America...

We didn't get accepted.

Your mother tried to help us
move to England.

But...

..we were not direct relatives.

Impossible.

I didn't know that.

We thought of using the money
to make fake documents.

I could be your brother...

..my mother
could be your auntie.

So why didn't you?

We have the shop now.

Did you find
your parents' home... in Hanoi?

I did.

Will you rest them there?

I really don't know.

You look... in pain.

They went through
so much to leave here.

And now you bring them back.

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