Once upon a Bridge in Vietnam II

After my first film on classical music in Vietnam, I decided to open a new chapter: football. Once Upon a Bridge in Vietnam has thus become a documentary series, now comprising two episodes.
Why football? This question could well be the very premise of the film. The choice of a subject is never entirely rational: it can emerge from a chain of ideas, an impulse, or simply a moment of inspiration. Of course, football is the most popular sport in Vietnam, as it is in many countries. It offers a fascinating window into society, with a unique narrative power.

At its core, however, this choice stems from a more intimate question: how can one approach a subject that seems, at first glance, so far removed from classical music? When I first spoke about it, many people laughed, surprised by this shift. That was when I knew I was onto something. I wanted to show that one can love both classical music and football, and that these two worlds—
almost like characters in the film—can converse, connect, and even dance together. The central idea is to present football as an art form, a living score through which to understand Vietnam.

The filming of this project began two years and a half ago, driven by this philosophical conviction. My journey starts in Hanoi, at the heart of the national football federation. From there unfolds a
journey through archives, stadiums, and unexpected encounters. I interviewed musicians about football, and footballers about classical music. Through these cross perspectives, the film seeks
to reveal the invisible bridges between discipline, rhythm, passion, and emotion—the shared language between two worlds that seem fundamentally opposed.

Gradually, the question of the main character became evident, and I naturally became the narrative voice of the film, as in the previous one. It is at this point that Once Upon a Bridge in Vietnam fully asserts itself as a series: the bridge now connects classical music and football. It becomes the symbol of a deeper connection between France and Vietnam, between my passion and my origins, between my grandmother and myself.

With this film, I aim to show that football reflects both the unity and diversity of contemporary Vietnam. It offers a dual reading of the country: like an orchestra, it brings people together; like a
soloist, it reveals local nuances and singularities.

From Hanoi to Hải Phòng, from Nam Định to the northern mountains, I filmed the fervor of stadiums, the chants, the gestures, and the presence of ethnic minorities—everything that makes football a living score of the country.

This journey transcends sport. Football not only reveals Vietnam to me, but also my own identity—a deeply personal return to my roots, to my grandmother’s culture, and to the invisible bond between France and Vietnam.