# Cu Li Never Cries

Cu Li Never Cries (Vietnamese: Cu Li Không Bao Giờ Khóc) is a 2024 Vietnamese drama film directed by Phạm Ngọc Lân and is his debut feature. The film is produced by Trần Thị Bích Ngọc and Nghiêm Quỳnh Trang under the banners Cadence Studio and Ân Nam Productions. Minh Châu, Xuân An Ngo, Hà Phuong and Hoàng Hà star in the lead roles.
Cu Li Never Cries was premiered at 74th Berlin International Film Festival, Jeonju International Film Festival 2024 (Asian premiere, International competition), Istanbul Film Festival 2024, Taipei Film Festival 2024, Da Nang Asian Film Festival DANAFF II, Vietnam (Asian Competition) and Festival du nouveau cinéma 2024.

## Plot

Mrs. Nguyện returns home after the death of her ex-husband. She took with her, his urn and his pet Cu Li, a pygmy slow loris. Back in Hanoi, she is greeted with unfamiliarity: the city is hardly what she remembers. At the same time, her niece Vân prepares for her marriage after having recently become engaged. While the couple teeter towards a new beginning, Mrs Nguyện dwells within fragments of the past.

## Cast

* Minh Châu as Mrs. Nguyện
* Xuân An Ngo as Quang
* Hà Phuong as Vân: Mrs. Nguyện's niece
* Hoàng-Hà as Waiter in Paradise Club
* Kieu-Trinh as Aquarium shop owner
* Phí-Linh as Jewellery's staff
* Cao Sang as Quang's best friend
* Hien Thanh as Mrs. Sinh: Quang's mother
* Van Thai Nguyen as Quang's Family Patriarch
* Quôc-Tuân as Former colleague
* Thuong Tin as Mr. Sinh

## Production

The project was selected to l’Atelier – festival de Cannes 2017, Busan APM 2016, Locarno Open Doors Hub and SEAFIC 2016-2017. The film is co-produced by Claire-Agnes Lajoumard (Acrobates Films); Bianca Balbuena-Liew and Bradley Liew (Epicmedia); Su-Ching Teh (Purple Tree Content) and Weijie Lai (E&W Films), and Verona Meier (Ape&Bjørn).

## Release

The film was premiered in the Official Section at the Asian Film Festival, Barcelona on 2 November 2024. It was also screened at the 35th Singapore International Film Festival in December 2024.
The film was premiered at prominent film festivals, which include Hong Kong Asian Film Festival 2024, 23rd Las Palmas de Gran Canaria International Film Festival 2024, Spain (Main competition), 25th Shanghai International Film Festival 2024, New Directors/New Films Festival 2024; NYC, USA (North American premiere), Lisbon & Estoril Film Festival 2024 and 2nd Eikhoigi Imphal International Film Festival 2025 (International competition: Fiction).

## Reception

Matthew Joseph Jenner of International Cinephile Society reviewed, "Cu Li Never Cries joins a steadily growing movement to showcase Vietnam as the home of some truly poignant, gifted filmmakers, and it is closely related both visually and thematically to films such as Inside the Yellow Cocoon Shell and Glorious Ashes as poetic character studies that are tied together by their approach to merging the past and present in sometimes unconventional narratives. This film is a fascinating and insightful experiment that aims to unsettle the status quo in terms of both form and content." Namrata Joshi of Cinema Express commented, "Cu Li Never Cries is meditative, contemplative cinema about the longing for stability within the family, society and the country. The title is suggestive of the resilience, continuity and endurance in the face of the many changes through the passage of time."
Susanne Gottlieb of Cineuropa opined, "There are still some slumps in the pacing, nonetheless. But as a whole, Cu Li Never Cries offers an interesting gaze upon Vietnamese society, and the conflict arising from dealing with history and societal change." Tan Yan An of NTU Film Society commented, "Cu Li Never Cries is a film about the spaces between people: the gaps left by time, the silences in conversations, and the distance that sometimes grows between family members. Yet, it is also a film about the possibility of bridging those spaces. Both aunt and niece may never fully reconcile their differences, but their shared moments hint at a quiet understanding—a reminder that connection often lies not in words but in gestures and shared experiences."

## Accolades

| Festival | Award |
| 74th Berlin International Film Festival | GWFF Best First Feature |
| 23rd Las Palmas de Gran Canaria International Film Festival | Best Performance (Winner: Minh Châu) |
| Da Nang Asian Film Festival DANAFF II 2024, Vietnam | Best Picture |
| Bucharest International Experimental Film Festival 2024, Romania | Special Mention |
| Festival du nouveau cinéma 2024 | FIPRESCI Award |
| Jeonju International Film Festival 2024 | Best Picture Prize (International) |