Travel Across Southeast Asia in 5 Movies
Experience Southeast Asian stories through these five films on CinemaWorld, with a special premiere spotlighting a 2024 Vietnamese box office hit.
In a region with such diverse cultures and languages, Southeast Asian cinema has been thriving in recent years as local stories find their voices on the world stage. While steeped in tradition, local beliefs and folklore, their themes still transcend language and borders to reach audiences across the globe. And as the director of Parasite, Bong Joon Ho, said at the 2020 Golden Globes, "Once you overcome the one-inch tall barrier of subtitles, you will be introduced to so many more amazing films."
1. Glorious Ashes
Vietnam, France, Singapore
A haunting Vietnamese drama set in the quiet fishing village of Thom Rom in Vietnam's Mekong Delta, where three women are caught in a messy web of love and friendship
After the cheerful Hau marries Duong, she finds herself more miserable than ever as her husband remains bitter of the lost love of his life, Nhan, who is married to another man. Despite Duong’s loveless marriage and the tension she feels towards Nhan, a warm friendship slowly develops between the two women while both their homes are falling apart. In a parallel story, there is Loan, known by the villagers as "Loan Khùng" (Crazy Loan), who lives in the margins of the village. A woman broken by the trauma of her childhood that deteriorated her mental state, Loan is out for revenge.
Adapted from the works of author Nguyen Ngoc Tu, Glorious Ashes was the Official submission of Vietnam for the 'Best International Feature Film' category of the 96th Academy Awards in 2024.
2. Death of Nintendo
Philippines, Singapore, USA
This coming-of-age Filipino film set in 90s Manila contrasts local cultural beliefs with the burgeoning age of video games. The film follows four teenagers who are forced away from their video games due to power outages caused by the volcanic eruptions of Mount Pinatubo. The summer of their teenhood thus becomes an exploration of first love, bullying, masculinity and traditional rites of passage.
A crowd favourite, the film was nominated for the Generation Kplus – Best Film Award, Crystal Bear at the Berlin International Film Festival in 2020.
3. Sweet Dreams
Indonesia, The Netherlands, Sweden
In this satirical portrait of colonialism in the Dutch-Indies by acclaimed filmmaker Ena Sendijarević, the film captures the rot of colonial rule with a bold cinematic style, gorgeous period costumes, and a morbid sense of humor. Set on a remote Indonesian plantation, the sudden death of wealthy sugar tycoon Jan throws his family into chaos, and threatens their position at the top of the food chain.
When the patriarch's estranged son and heavily pregnant daughter-in-law, Cornelis and Josefien, arrive from Europe to claim the family empire, they are horrified to discover that his native mistress, Siti, has been left with a crucial role in the inheritance.
Rated 100% on Rotten Tomatoes, Sweet Dreams was the Official Submission of the Netherlands for Best International Feature Film at the 96th Academy Awards and a Best Film Nominee for the Golden Leopard at the Locarno Film Festival.
Watch CinemaWorld’s interview with Indonesian cast members Hayati and Kaan Lativan (who play Siti and Reza respectively) on Youtube.
We also did a Q&A with the film director Ena Sendijarević, read it here.
4. The Real Sister
Vietnam
If you enjoyed the international hit film from Thailand, How To Make Millions Before Grandma Dies (2024), this Vietnamese family drama is worth adding to your watchlist. The Real Sister is a character-driven local box office hit by actor-director Khuong Ngoc that tells a touching story about familial love that transcends languages.
At its center is the oldest of the sisters—the sister-in-law—Nhị, a wealthy jewellery shop owner who initiates the family gathering to commemorate her late father-in-law’s death anniversary.
But the reunion is met with ugly conflicts as each sister, carrying their own dark secrets, can’t seem to agree on anything. When Nhị reveals her plans to renovate the ancestral home, tensions among the women heighten further, all while an incoming storm threatens to tear apart what is left of the century-old building.
Dramatic, raw and vivid, the cinematography is as vivid as the characters Ngoc portrays. It’s relatable story is no wonder the film became such a hit amongst local audiences and on the global stage as well.
The Real Sister is coming to CinemaWorld this September.
5. Above The Clouds
Philippines, France
Grief in this Filipino production is portrayed with raw simplicity. After losing his parents in a devastating flood, 15-year-old Andy is forced to live with his estranged grandfather. Far from home in the cold, unfamiliar northern highlands of the country, Andy shrinks deeper into himself, isolated and unreachable.
Determined to pull his grandson out of the dark, the old man finds a way to connect him to his late parents' memory. After showing him yellowed photographs of them in their youth on the picturesque Mount Pulag, he takes the unwilling Andy on an overnight hike to trace their path. What begins as a forced journey erupts into a tense confrontation, where they must learn to come to terms with their shared grief.
The film was nominated Best Asian Feature Film, Silver Screen Award at the Singapore International Film Festival 2014.
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