Minh Phượng

Set against a gloriously filmed backdrop of the distinctly jaded charm of mid-90s Saigon, the lives of two men intertwine as they are both bound by traditions and honor. One to his mafia family, the other to the traveling troupe that performs elaborate classic operas. Yet they have much more in common than either wants to admit.

At the age of 17, Luu is raped by her master. When the young girl falls pregnant and gossips arise in the master’s social circle, he strips her family of their land and banishes them from the estate. Left with little means to support themselves, the family moves to Bac Lieu with Cu, the kind-hearted farmer who marries Luu, and tries to foster a new life here, though remnants of the past is bound to return one day.