những tiếc nuối directed by Khac Hiep Nguyen

Human beings often carry within themselves two profound regrets.

The first is the past, where we linger over what has gone, over memories that never truly satisfy or fade away. The second is the future, a fragile illusion that feels close enough to touch, yet remains distant and uncertain.

Between these two regrets, we often lose the present, the only moment in which everything we need already exists. Only when we can set aside our thoughts about the past and the future does the present truly become illuminated. That is the essence I wish to convey through my film.

With this short film, I aim to define my own cinematic voice abstract yet expressive, simple yet profound, like a love song composed of images and emotions. I seek harmony between visual beauty and emotional depth, between silence and cinematic language: a space where feelings can resonate without the need for words.

The filmmaking journey was far from easy. Funding was the first challenge, as the investors found it difficult to visualize a story driven more by emotion and symbolism than by plot.

Finding the right locations was both a challenge and a journey. We traveled hundreds of kilometers to find spaces that could convey the emotional language of the film. Real locations, though imperfect, offered authenticity and freedom no set could match. In those fragile moments, the magic of cinema revealed itself.

Casting was equally demanding, requiring time and patience to find actors who could truly embody the film’s spirit, capture its rhythm, and devote themselves wholeheartedly to the project.

And sometimes, adverse weather also brings us many challenges and emotions.

In the end, the film came to life not only through my effort but through the collective spirit of the entire crew. I am merely a small binding thread, holding together all these energies to create something sincere and beautiful