Don’t Cry, Butterfly
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Tam, a hardworking wedding venue employee, is humiliated when she discovers her husband’s infidelity—broadcast live on television. Instead of confronting him, she seeks the help of a charismatic spell master, desperate to rekindle his love. Meanwhile, her daughter Ha escapes their crumbling home through vivid daydreams of life abroad. Watching over them from the shadows is a mysterious House Spirit, its presence felt only by the women beneath their leaking, cracked ceiling.

A standout in Vietnam’s vibrant new wave of cinema, Don’t Cry, Butterfly offers a wholly original perspective. Director Dương Diệu Linh, the only woman among her generation of rising Vietnamese filmmakers, brings a singular vision to the screen. With a sharp eye for the emotional complexities of middle-aged women—often dismissed as sad, anxious, or nagging—she crafts a story that blends hyper-realistic domestic drama with the magical realism of Southeast Asian folklore. Already making waves on the international festival circuit, Don’t Cry, Butterfly is a testament to Linh’s bold storytelling, where the mundane and the mystical collide with haunting beauty.

Online Q&A with director Dương Diệu Linh after the screening.

DƯƠNG DIỆU LINH
Dương Diệu Linh previously attended Berlinale Talents in 2020, Asian Film Academy in 2016, Locarno Summer Academy and Bucheon Fantastic Film School in 2015. Her debut feature, Don’t Cry Butterfly (2024) premiered at Venice Critics’ Week where it won the Grand Prize and Most Innovative Film.

Sun Apr 27, 2025 | 21:00
Stadtkino
Red Lotus 2025

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Vietnam, Singapore, Philippines, Indonesia 2024
97 Min | Color | Vietnamese with English subtitles

Directed by DƯƠNG Diệu Linh

Don't Cry, Butterfly © Barunson E&A