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The Scent of Green Papaya
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Wikipedia article
'The Scent of Green Papaya' (Vietnamese: 'Mi u xanh', French: 'L'Odeur de la papaye verte') is a 1993 Vietnamese-language film produced in France by Lazennec Production, directed by Vietnamese-French director Tran Anh Hung, and starring Tran Nu Yn-Kh, Man San Lu, and Thi Loc Truong.
The film won the Camra d'Or prize at the 1993 Cannes Film Festival, a Csar Award for Best Debut at the French annual film award ceremony, and was nominated for the 1993 Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film. It was Tran Anh Hung's first feature film and stars his wife, Tran Nu Yn-Kh. It is also his first collaboration with Vietnamese composer Tn-Tht Tit who subsequently wrote the music for two more films: 'Cyclo' and 'Vertical Ray of the Sun'.
Although set in Vietnam, the film was shot entirely on a soundstage in Boulogne, France.
Plot
A young girl, Mi, becomes a servant for a family that was once wealthy, but is sinking into genteel poverty due to the husband's infidelities. Their only income is from the wife's small business. The husband's widowed mother, an invalid who seldom leaves her upstairs room, blames her daughter-in-law, telling her, "You have a man, but you don't know how to keep him happy." The eldest son prefers his friend's company, and the youngest, who idolizes his father, is wilful, disruptive and cruel. Mi is notably peaceful and curious about the world.
When the husband leaves for his fourth and final time, he steals his wife's meagre savings and jewelry. Soon after, the grandmother collapses, and a doctor is summoned. As he treats her with acupuncture, musicians play cheerful music outside the room. When she dies, the wife sells an heirloom vase and other valuables to pay for her medical and funeral expenses.
Ten years later, the family has fallen on hard times. Two sons have left, and the wife has taken the place of the grandmother upstairs, tragic and rarely seen. On the family shrine, the grandmother's and husband's photos have joined those of other departed relatives. Having lost a young daughter during one of her husband's earlier absences, the wife cares for Mi like one of her own, but can no longer afford to keep her. She gives her a silk dress and some gold jewelry, and arranges for her to become a servant for the older son's friend, who is now a concert pianist. He is engaged to be married, but seems to prefer playing the piano to spending time with his frivolous fiance.
One night, as the fiance chatters on, his piano playing becomes more intense as he strives to ignore her. She leaves, but watches through the window, and sees that when Mi enters the room, his playing becomes peaceful. Later that night, he goes to Mi's quarters and closes the door behind him. When the fiance learns of this, she puts his ring on a table and smashes some of his belongings. When he returns, he calmly pockets the ring. He starts teaching Mi to read and write. In the final scene, a pregnant Mi is reading poetry to him.
Cast
* Tran Nu Yn-Kh as Mui, age 20 (as Trn Nu Yn-Kh)
* Man San Lu as Mui, age 10
* Thi Loc Truong as La mre (as Truong Thi Lc)
* Anh Hoa Nguyen as La vieille Ti (as Nguyn 'Anh Hoa)
* Hoa Hoi Vuong as Khuyen (as Vuong Ha Hi)
* Ngoc Trung Tran as Le pre
* Vantha Talisman as Thu
* Keo Souvannavong as Trung
* Van Oanh Nguyen as Mr. Thuan
* Gerard Neth as Tin
* Nhat Do as Lam
* Thi Hai Vo as La grand-mre
* Thi Thanh Tra Nguyen as Mai
* Lam Huy Bui as Le mdecin
* Xuan Thu Nguyen as L'antiquaire
* Xuan Loi Phan as Musiciens
* Xuan Dung Phan as Musiciens
* Van Chung Le as Musiciens
* Tho Phuong as Le coiffeur
* Long Chau as Clientes
* Thi Van Khanh Truong as Clientes
* Hng Hanh Luguern as Clientes
* Ba Hang Phan as Le livreur d'eau
Reception
Year-end lists
* 4th Bob Strauss, 'Los Angeles Daily News'* 4th David Elliott, 'The San Diego Union-Tribune'
Awards and nominations
* 1993 Cannes Film Festival Award of the Youth French Film (Anh Hung Tran) 'Won'* 1993 Cannes Film Festival Golden Camera Award (Anh Hung Tran) 'Won'
* 1993 Camerimage Golden Frog Award Nomination (Benot Delhomme)
* 1994 Academy Award Nomination for Best Foreign Language Film
* 1994 British Film Institute Award Sutherland Trophy (Anh Hung Tran) 'Won'
* 1994 Csar Award for Best First Work (Anh Hung Tran) 'Won'
See also
* List of submissions to the 66th Academy Awards for Best Foreign Language Film
* List of Vietnamese submissions for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film
References
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