La Pierre de l'attente

Based on a Vietnamese legend, Anh Hung Tran's La pierre de l'attente is a neat little story about a man and a woman who discover something rather unpleasant about their relationship. Clocking in at a scant 20 minutes, this is a nice little film that's worth seeing for fans of Tran.

Tran's second film is a lot like the first, in certain superficialities. Tran Nu Yen-Khe as the wife, Lam Le as the husband, and a baby, and mostly taking place in a small dwelling. But beyond that, they're quite different. It opens with text relating a classic folktale, and the film is a modern retelling of that tale. It's both a poignant story and a comment on the fates of boat people, and while it doesn't do a spectacular job at either one, it's satisfying enough. Lovely images once again.