Bi, Don't Be Afraid!

Running time: 92 mins

Sometimes family isn?t the most important thing in a person?s life.

In the small village of Hanoi, 6-year-old Bi lives with his mother and aunt and has become used to the absences of his father, an alcoholic who spends time pursuing a relationship with his masseuse, while Bi?s mother turns a blind eye. His aunt is somewhat of a recluse, who finds desire in a young boy she met on the bus. To escape familial troubles, Bi finds refuge in the ice factory near his home, which is his favorite playground. Bi?s grandfather, a diplomat, returns to Vietnam after many years. Upon his return, the family sees that he has fallen very ill. At first, Bi seems afraid of his grandfather, but they soon begin to develop a closer relationship.

?Bi, Don't Be Afraid! is a thoughtful cinematic exploration of inchoate longing, the messy consequences of physical decline and encroaching death, and confirmation that sex and youthful exuberance spring eternal. Frankly and overtly sensual with scant dialogue, this contemporary portrait of relatives living in close quarters while harbouring secrets is conveyed with impressive visual assurance.? (Screen Daily)

- Kylie Brusch

Film sponsored by the Applied Materials Foundation.