Children of the Mist - English subtitled
In the misty mountains of northern Vietnam, a Hmong teenage girl tries to break away from the local custom of marrying off young girls via bride kidnapping.
Di is a 12-year-old Hmong girl, an ethnic minority in which girls get married at a very young age. This is often preceded by a controversial bride kidnapping, where the girl is abducted by her future husband on Lunar New Year Celebration. Negotiations between the families follow.
This also happened to Di’s sister and their mother, so it doesn’t seem strange that in preparation the women and girls discuss sex and married life without embarrassment. But Di also goes to school, where she learns very different values. And in her own way, even Di’s mother tries to warn her daughter about child marriage.
Director Diem Ha Le tells a story about the clash between ancient customs and modern values, in a place where children from a traditional culture also have access to the outside world. Her first full-length documentary is a moving film about the challenges faced by a young Hmong girl, but above all is about a teenager with a strong character, and who is not just a victim.
Winner of the IDFA Award for Best Directing in the International Competition.
Before the screening of CHILDREN OF THE MIST Dr Esther van Eijk, specialized in religious family law, will give an introduction. After the screening, there will be a Q&A via Zoom with director Diem Ha Le. This programma is in English.
Time schedule:
19.15 - Welcome
19.30 - Start introduction
19.45 - Start documentary
21.15 - Short discussion
21.30 - End