Speaking to the Viet Nam News Agency’s correspondents in Brussels, Pauline David, curator of the festival, said the film won her over from the very first encounter.
The collaboration between directors Truong Minh Quy of Viet Nam and Nicolas Graux of Belgium has generated considerable expectations. However, what gives the film its distinctive mark is its understated storytelling, its choice to shoot on 16mm film, and its exploratory visual approach. From remote areas, the documentary unfolds stories that touch on universal themes such as family, inheritance, and the relationship between humans. nature and the tangible world around them.
David noted that the Viet Nam–Belgium partnership was not a deciding criterion for the film’s inclusion in the programme, but it carries special meaning within the festival’s broader vision.
Through the selected works, organisers hope to prompt reflection on how people live on their lands, whether in Europe or in faraway geographical spaces.
At a time when Vietnamese documentary cinema, particularly in French-speaking countries, remains little known, the introduction of Hair, Paper, Water is seen as a rare opportunity for Brussels audiences to discover a film culture and community seldom represented on local screens. This is also why the festival considers the screening a source of pride.
"Hair, Paper, Water"won the Golden Leopard at the 78th Locarno Film Festival in Switzerland in August 2025. The film follows Hau, a woman from the Ruc ethnic minority, portraying her relationship with nature, traditional knowledge and the transformations of contemporary society.
Its approach is not didactic but richly observant, allowing life to reveal itself through small, authentic details.
The use of 16mm film lends the work emotional depth and a distinctive tone, while the poetic quality woven into every frame enables viewers not only to better understand Hau’s everyday life but also to experience a freer cinematic language that moves beyond familiar documentary conventions.
David expressed hope that the film will bring audiences a sense of happiness and empathy through their encounter with Hau, sharing ordinary moments with a Vietnamese ethnic minority woman. She also expected the work to spark curiosity, encouraging viewers to learn more about Viet Nam and its communities, and to open their hearts to “others”, whether near or far.
The seventh “En ville !” documentary film festival runs from January 26 to February 1 at cinemas across Brussels, featuring 27 recent Belgian and international films, including 18 Belgian premieres.
By taking part in the festival, "Hair, Paper, Water" not only continues the international journey of a highly regarded Vietnamese film, but also helps bring closer to European audiences the people, culture and daily life of Viet Nam’s ethnic minority communities.
