Having explored his Vietnamese roots in BÀ NÔI (RIDM 2013), filmmaker Khoa Lê returns to his native country to focus on the emotional bonds that connect members of its 2SLGBTQIA+ community. Má Sài Gòn (Mère Saigon) is a mosaic of human experience imbued with tenderness, in which the city of Saigon glows with the vibrant colours of its queer community. Flamboyance aside, these individuals share their common dreams of love, acceptance, and belonging. Through their journeys at once personal and universal, this film points to family—biological or chosen—as a cornerstone of Vietnamese culture. Má Sài Gòn (Mère Saigon) is an eloquent celebration of the authenticity and power of human relationships within an ever-changing society. (AAM)

The November 16th screening will be followed by Saigon Night with Transpacific Express.

To stimulate reflection around the film and continue to highlight LGBTQ+ community members, visit the Mà Sài Gòn space: a space for empathetic exchange.

Khoa Lê also programmed in the festival a free screening of the film Nuits as part of Doc-to-doc and will participate in a conversation with filmmaker Diane Poitras.

competition : National Feature Competition

Má Sài Gòn (Mère Saigon)