Summer school, 2001

A teenage boy returns to his family after years apart, scarred from being sent to Vietnam while his younger brother stayed in Czechia. After reunion, he faces a distant father, a mother desperate to mend the past, and a brother uneasy about sharing the spotlight. One chaotic summer pushes them to their limits when the younger brother falls from a roof. Between misunderstandings and clumsy family dynamics, they learn that sometimes, healing begins by letting the cracks show.

  • Dužan Duong
    Director
  • Dužan Duong
    Writer
  • Lukáš Kokeš
    Writer
  • Jan Smutný
    Writer
  • Lukáš Kokeš
    Producer
    I'm Not Everything I Want to Be
  • Dužan Duong
    Producer
  • Project Type:
    Feature
  • Genres:
    drama, romance
  • Runtime:
    1 hour 42 minutes
  • Completion Date:
    December 31, 2024
  • Production Budget:
    17,000,000 CZK
  • Country of Origin:
    Czech Republic
  • Country of Filming:
    Czech Republic
  • Language:
    Czech, Vietnamese
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital
  • Aspect Ratio:
    3:2
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    Yes
  • Student Project:
    No
Director Biography - Dužan Duong

Duzan Duong was born in 1991 in Hanoi. At the age of 4, he moved to the Czech Republic with his family. He studied banking and insurance at the University of Economics and for one semester he was a student of the editing department at FAMU. In 2015 he made his first short film MAT GOC, which premiered at the Jihlava IDFF. In 2017, his next short film BO HAI premiered at the same festival and won the Best Director Award at FAMUFEST and the Best Short Film Award at Finale Pilsen. He also received a special mention from the jury at Prague Shorts and nominations for the Film Critics' Prize and the Magnesia Award.
He is a self-taught filmmaker with passion not only for directing but also for cinematography and overall any discipline within the filmmaking process. He is a co-founder of Czech production company AZN kru.

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Director Statement

What does it mean to be a man? Through three men, I explore masculinity and the fragile roles of fathers and sons. Amid their struggles, the mother remains the family’s voice of reason. Can broken relationships be repaired, or are some wounds too deep?

At the heart of this story is Zung, a man lost in his incompetence yet desperate to prove his worth. Obsessed with status, he neglects those who matter most. In his relentless pursuit of validation, he loses sight of what truly defines a man—not success, but love and responsibility.

The father-son bond is sacred, yet absence can fracture it. At five, I was sent to Vietnam, 8,323 km from my parents—a decision that left a lasting scar. Kien, our protagonist, carries this same wound. Torn from his parents, he struggles with abandonment and defining himself under the shadow of a distant father. Can separation’s damage ever truly be undone?

At the center is Tai, the youngest son, whose world is shaken by his estranged brother’s return. Jealousy and fear take hold as he questions his place in the family.

This film explores the Vietnamese immigrant experience and how chasing success often overshadows family. We must confront this contradiction: we claim family as our foundation, yet sacrifice it in the name of prosperity.