Cú và chim se se

I am a judge for the Indianapolis-based Heartland Film Festival. This feature film is a Crystal Heart Award Winner and is eligible to be the Grand Prize Winner in October of 2007. The Heartland Film Festival is a non-profit organization that honors Truly Moving Pictures. A Truly Moving Picture "…explores the human journey by artistically expressing hope and respect for the positive values of life."

This story takes place over the course of a week in today's Saigon. Saigon is a teaming, energetic, cold, on-the-make city of 8 million. It can be a very lonely place for people without family and friends.

Three of these people include a ten year-old girl who has no parents. She has run away from her child factory labor duties and was living with an unloving, uncle tyrant. Now she lives and sleeps in the streets of Saigon selling single rose flowers for a living. The second person is a young, poor, hardworking animal keeper for the zoo. He has no family and has lived at the zoo his whole life. The third person is a 26 year-old stewardess who seems to have everything; that is, a good job and beauty. But she is unhappy because she lacks direction and meaningful relations.

They come together as a threesome via the determination and pluck of the ten year-old. Will they find meaning to their lives leaning on each other? … or not? Life is just too difficult for each of them, but for different reasons. And, they are very different from each other.

But, there is a common trait among the three. They are all decent people. They are honest and direct and they treat each other with uncommon respect and dignity.

And by the way, the ten year-old girl steals the show.

FYI – There is a Truly Moving Pictures web site where there is a listing of past Truly Moving Picture Award winners that are now either at the theater or available on video.

I love Vietnamese films be it three seasons,the scent of the green papaya,floating lives and a lot other but owl and sparrow is one of the best n most heart touching film I saw,so pure,understated and realistic.The film boast of nice location,good dialouges(eng subtitles)and great acting,the little girl,airhostess and zookeeper are so natural that it doesn't look like they are acting.THe film has touching moments between the three main character which makes the film a pleasure to watch.I Think I will have to rate this as one of my five favourite films.KUdos to the whole team for making a heart warming film.

I don't know anything about movie composition, shots, lighting etc so my rating about the movie storyline and how it affected me, not about the technical production by the director. Clearly, the story talks about young children trying to make it on the street in a large city, a heart-rending proposition in most cases. Frankly, I cared about the little girl from the opening sequences on and I got more and more worried about her blundering about on her own... Through her lucky fate and her own pluckiness and "goodness of heart", she makes it on the streets for about a week, manages to worm herself into the heart of two unrelated strangers and actually brings them together! That little girl had amazing insight into the hearts and minds of adults. Miracles do happen, heart-melting events do happen, moving stories do happen. The story is totally vietnamese, features vietnamese scenes from the country and the street, children trying to fit into the adult world, and adults trying to make sense of their own lives. Great story!

Its hard to imagine a country that has been through more heartache and tragedy than Vietnam over the last 100 years. Occupied by the French, then the Americans, then the Russians....the mere fact of their survival points to a strong, national character and the movies coming out of this country over the last 15 years or so all have a strong moral compass and a soul rarely seen in Western films these days.

Continuing in the fine tradition of films like The Scent Of Green Papaya, Cyclo, Three Seasons, etc., Owl and the Sparrow is an absolute jewel. Its hard not to be touched by the gritty, 3rd World reality forced upon children who have no time to be kids. The suffering of the Vietnamese people over the last 100 years has imbued them with a dogged determination to overcome at all odds and the little 10 year old girl, Thuy, who is the main focus of the movie, shows that grit and determination while still retaining the adorable charm of a child. And I don't like kids!!!!!

Enough people have commented on the plot line and the technical aspects before. Suffice to say this is a feel-good movie of the first order. If you are not emotionally all in by the end of this movie, better check your pulse.

As I apprehensively waited these last few years to watch this film, I realize how unfair I've become based on fear of an all too familiar let down by another filmmaker, who, for the most part by and - as large as our tiny community is - create such derivative cinematic tripe of obvious contrivance that's usually riddled with unapologetic bias. After watching this film, I was not only blown away by the exquisite lighting and bold composition, but also was mesmerized by the beautiful story that seemed to be exploring the oftentimes insidious nature of power and the hero's who refuse to be victimized by it.

The Owl And The Sparrows wonderful characters triumph in the end and the subtle journalism of contemporary Vietnam demands the critical viewer to think beyond the happy ending, to listen for the barely audible sounds of change and to embrace what is inherently true.

Stephane Gauger should be added to the small list of great directors.