Bo Hai

How do the children of Vietnamese parents view Vietnam - those who speak better Czech than Vietnamese and who feel more in touch with Western culture than with that of their parents? This film tries to answer such questions by combining documentary scenes with elements of acting and a clear dramatic arc. For one of two brothers, a forced journey to Vietnam becomes an opportunity to better understand his origins, and thus his own parents and even himself. Czech viewers get a chance to see behind the wall of uniform cultural stereotypes and breathe life-giving movement into the minority.

A teenage boy returns to his family after years apart, scarred from being sent to Vietnam while his younger brother stayed in Czechia. After reunion, he faces a distant father, a mother desperate to mend the past, and a brother uneasy about sharing the spotlight. One chaotic summer pushes them to their limits when the younger brother falls from a roof. Between misunderstandings and clumsy family dynamics, they learn that sometimes, healing begins by letting the cracks show.

After her father's passing, a daughter returns to Vietnam to be with her mom. Their pilgrimage to Heaven Gate reflects their struggle to connect since his loss. The mother seeks reunion with her late husband, ascending mountains for solace. The daughter, grappling with vulnerability, joins, exploring her own abyss. Together, they search for healing and understanding amidst the sublime of nature.