An intriguing and revealing story about family and male role models from the point of view of a Vietnamese immigrant family in Czechia. Summer School 2001 plays at the Raindance Film Festival from 20th June.
The feature debut of Czech-Vietnamese film director Dužan Duong, Summer School 2001, draws on the director’s own personal experiences to present a complex and intimate story of family, and in particular a father and his two sons.
Zung (Hoang Anh Doan) sells counterfeit items on a market stall – when he is not distracted by playing cards with his friends to try to win money. We learn early on that he lives with his wife Lan (Lê Quỳnh Lan) and young son Tai (Tô Tiến Tài), and that Tai is in hospital in a serious condition. As the narrative progresses, we learn how Tai ended up here via three viewpoints of events – those of Tai, Zung, and Zung’s 17-year-old son Kien (Bùi Thế Dương), who has recently rejoined the family in Czechia after living with his grandmother in Vietnam for the previous 10 years.
Kien is immediately an imposing presence. With his dyed red hair, different clothing, and recalcitrant demeanour, he clearly would rather be back in Vietnam. His presence also puts his younger brother’s nose out of joint, as Tai has to share attention with the newcomer. Events leading to Tai’s injury gradually come to light, threatening to break what fragile bonds the family possesses.
The most obvious theme of Summer School 2001is that of the Vietnamese community in Czechia, how they have integrated over the generations, and what parents are prepared to endure or sacrifice to ensure a future for their offspring. But there is also the issue of masculinity within the community and the effect it has on the younger ones. With the mother working long hours and the father absent from family life, the children are often left to their own devices, at which point tragedy can (and does) occur. But while there’s enough seriousness, Dužan Duong manages to keep things moving along and doesn’t get bogged down in too much heartbreak.
One of the most impressive things about Summer School 2001 is that the majority of the cast are non-professional actors. The two brothers, in particular, are extremely engaging and believable, ably supported by those playing their parents and the community around them. One small gripe would be the absence of much input from the mother’s perspective – equally as formative in the life of both her sons (for different reasons), we get very little from her beyond a stereotype, which is a shame.
This is an impressive debut film – but it’s so specific to its director and his background that it will be interesting to see what he does next.