A still from Entropy by Polish-Vietnamese director Anna Fam-Rieskaniemi. Photo imdb.com

HÀ NỘI — A feature debut from a Polish-Vietnamese director, Anna Fam-Rieskaniemi, will start off Polish Film Week with style in Hà Nội and HCM City from December 5.

Entropia follows Mây, a young woman of Vietnamese descent who was born and raised in Poland. While her parents strive to preserve traditional Vietnamese values and expect her to study hard and live a stable, family-oriented life, Mây longs for freedom to go out, fall in love and live on her own terms.

As a result, she is constantly torn between two worlds — her Vietnamese roots and the Polish society in which she has grown up.

Set in a world where order is fading and futures are unmade, Entropia presents a contemplative journey into the subtle breakdown of what once seemed stable.

Through ordinary yet deeply unsettling everyday moments, the film offers a raw and realistic portrayal of cultural conflict, generational expectations and the search for identity among second-generation immigrants.

Its inclusion in the film week not only enriches the festival’s thematic diversity, but also reflects the cultural bridge between Việt Nam and Poland that the event aims to promote.

Rieskaniemi is an intercultural artist encouraging multicultural and inter-generational dialogue. She graduated from Polish Philology at the University of Warsaw and Wajda School and Studio, and is an alumna of prestigious programmes including EAVE, Eurodoc, Ace Producers and others aimed at encouraging emerging writers and artists.

A member of the Polish Filmmakers Association, Rieskaniemi is among the winners of the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage's Young Poland programme in the film category.

Entropia was first screened in Warsaw last year at the Five Flavours Film Festival.

This year's Polish Film Week is co-organised by the Department of Cinema and the Polish Film Producers Association to introduce contemporary Polish cinema and strengthen cultural exchange between the two countries.

Selected films cover diverse genres and themes and provide vivid portrayals of Polish society, people and everyday life, as well as cross-cultural connections.

Films being screened include Black Sheep, Feast of Fire, Pianoforte, Kulej. All that glitters isn’t gold, Horror Story and Off We Go.

Directed by Jakub Piatek, Pianoforte is the first Polish documentary to win an International Emmy in the best arts programming category. It is about young pianists competing in a famous piano competition held in Warsaw.

Kulej. All that glitters isn’t gold won the Audience Award at the Polish Film Awards. It tells the story of Jerzy Kulej, a legendary boxing champion, police officer and two-time Olympic gold medallist who was never knocked out.

The opening ceremony will be held at 7.30pm on December 5 at the National Cinema Centre in Hà Nội with free tickets on offer, and will continue in the capital city until December 9.

In HCM City, the film week will take place at Cinestar Hai Bà Trưng Cinema from December 10-14. — VNS