Berlinale 2024 | Cu Li Never Cries

The Berlinale, also known as the Berlin International Film Festival, is one of the most prestigious film festivals in the world. In its 74th edition, Berlinale showcases a wide range of international films, including feature films, documentaries, and short films. Cu Li Never Cries, directed by Pham Ngoc Lan from Vietnam, has its world premiere in the Panorama section of the film festival.

Mrs. Nguyện (Minh-Châu) returns to Vietnam after collecting her husband’s remains in Germany. In her luggage, she carries a pygmy slow loris, a type of monkey from the Vietnamese rainforest, which she acquired from the deceased. Her young niece, Van (Ha-Phuong), who lives with her, is preparing for her wedding. The young couple are apprehensive about their uncertain future together. The characters’ contemporary reality and the deep echoes of Vietnamese history are intertwined in a contemplative and beautiful way. The film’s pursuit of time using monochrome frames can transport us to an aspect of existence that is not all that unfamiliar to us.

In the poetic narrative of Mrs. Nguyện’s return to Vietnam, we find ourselves entrenched in a fascinating intersection of present reality and historical reverence. This captivating mix is portrayed through overwhelming realism and an evocative reminder of Mrs. Nguyện’s past. From the first words she whispers to herself while strolling through the city’s dark, deserted alleys, the audience feels the invasion of time that cruelly sweeps away everything in its path, including the home that has been the core of being. But returning home is unavoidable; whether someone is waiting for us or not, we must complete the circle of time.

Every single element has changed. Not even her niece, who is eagerly awaiting matrimony, can comprehend her aunt. Their verbal conflict in a scene while discussing the wedding and Cu Lie depicts the gap and differences subtly. Mrs. Nguyện is prepared to scatter her husband’s ashes into the sea as a final farewell, while her niece is enthusiastically entering a new romantic chapter. The young couple’s actions, from purchasing rings to the proposal night, symbolize a new beginning.

Cu Lie Never Cries delicately resonates with the audience without introducing any sensational occurrences. It represents a part of Vietnamese life that is distant from its turbulent war days. But the aura of sorrow and regret flows in the film—in moments with the bride and groom amidst sunflowers or when Quang (Xuan An Ngo) discusses the importance of marriage with his buddy.

Lan has showcased several short films at prestigious cinema festivals such as Visions du Réel, Berlinale, Locarno, and Sundance. Some of these works are The Story of Ones, Another City, Blessed Land, and The Unseen River. His first full-length film is Cu Li Never Cries.

The directors may use a black-and-white approach to portray the underlying meaning of the story, and Lan’s clever photography aligns nicely with the idea of a hero’s journey back to their homeland or home as time gradually diminishes the so-called bright days. The interplay of lighting and dynamic light motions on a dark surface serves as a reminder of the strength of diversity. The music at the senior’s club where Mrs. Nguyện visits helps her psychologically journey back in time, allowing her to recall her deceased spouse. The endangered pygmy slow loris, also known as “Cu lie,” is featured in the film with its sad eyes, appearing to warn viewers of an unknown fact that must be addressed.

Cu li Never Cries by adopting the concept of time, returning home, and land, beautifully depicts that famous philosophical quote we also hear in the film: “No one bathes twice in the same river.” And finding “promised land” on this planet, which is experiencing hectic days, would be impossible under any circumstances.