Song Lang

In the Saigon of the 1990s, Dũng “Thunderbolt,” a taciturn and tough gangster meets Linh Phung, a young and naive performer of cải lương (a form of Vietnamese musical theatre). An unlikely bond forms between the two as it is revealed that Dũng once came from a musical troupe as well, but circumstances led him to a darker path. He must reconcile with his troubled past as he soon picks up an instrument to rekindle his former life as a musician. But, the tension mounts as his loan shark boss demands he “take care” of this theatre company, which is in deep debt and he must choose between violent retribution or to return to his musical roots. (Hawaii International Film Festival)