In Children of the Mist, we follow 12-year-old Di, a Hmong girl from rural Vietnam, as she faces the deeply ingrained cultural practice of bride kidnapping. This powerful documentary offers a rare, unflinching look at Di’s personal battle for autonomy against a backdrop of tradition, family, and cultural expectation. As the film unfolds, we not only witness the personal struggles of Di, but we also delve into the ethical challenges of documentary filmmaking.
The documentary questions the role of the filmmaker in capturing such sensitive subjects while offering a deeply human portrait of rural life in contemporary Vietnam. It is a poignant exploration of resistance, self-determination, and the complexity of tradition in a rapidly changing world.
The screening will be preceded by Xe Đạp (The Bicycle, 2000), a radical animated short made by an all-women team, showcasing textured, paper-cut aesthetics that defied formal norms of the time. Children of the Mist will be followed by a live poetry response from Natalie Linh Bolderston, inviting audiences to reflect on the film’s powerful themes of resistance, autonomy, and ethical storytelling.
If you have any access requirements, please contact our box office team on 020 7613 7498 or email boxoffice@richmix.org.uk
