Inside The Yellow Cocoon Shell

A sudden death brings unexpected responsibilities, as Thien’s (Le Phong Vu) sister-in-law Hanh is killed in a motorcycle accident leaving him with the task of accompanying her body to their home village and also taking care of his five-year-old nephew Dao (Nguyen Thinh).

The entrancing debut feature from Pham Thien An becomes a quest for understanding and certainty in a Vietnam that seems unable to provide any clear answers. The journey itself is what matters in a film defined by visual splendour and a complex questioning of faith.

This is a remarkable debut feature; provocative, absorbing, and mysterious. There are no easy answers to the big existential questions, just a desire to seek them out with a kind heart and good intentions. In the end you just have to have faith.

(Allan Hunter, Screen Daily)