German Film “Happy” in European-Vietnamese Documentary Film Festival 2017

Wed 14 Jun 2017, 7 pm
Hanoi: National Documentary and Scientific Film Studio
465 Hoang Hoa Tham, Hanoi
HCMC: Hoa Sen University
8 Nguyen Van Trang, Dist 1, HCMC

From Goethe Institut:

At 7pm June 14th 2017, Goethe-Institut will present the German documentary film “Happy” at the National Film Studio for Documentary and Science Films Vietnam, as part of the 8th European-Vietnamese Documentary Film Festival. For director Carolin Genreith, the film is a quest to thoroughly understand what has prompted her retired father to decide that he should seek happiness with a young Thai woman. Taking an objective viewpoint, “Happy” yields a sufficient distance to allow the audience to form their own view and approach towards such a controversial topic for eastern and western society alike.

“Happy” is an affectionate, cheerful and personal documentary on men searching for happiness in the twilight of their lives, while simultaneously dealing with the question of what love truly is when you are over 60 and afraid of growing old alone.

It’s every daughter’s worst nightmare: a postcard from Thailand that reads: “My darling, I am doing great here, eating Pad Thai and drinking Chang Beer. And I met a woman younger than you. Sincerely, Dad.”

My father has changed a lot in the past couple of years. After separating from my mother, he exchanged his hiking boots for flip-flops and travels to Thailand every year for a few weeks. Sometimes alone, sometimes with friends – all of whom are divorced and over 60. My father says that he and his friends are having the time of their lives. I ask myself what has gotten into him. As his daughter, the Thailand trips are a source of embarrassment, and are on everyone’s lips in our home village in the North Eifel. “Genreith is a sex tourist,” say the men. “He’s going to buy himself a wife.”

Is that true? Are my father’s trips to Thailand solely for sex tourism? Is that taboo? Is my father one of those men seen crossing the streets of Bangkok arm in arm with a younger, attractive Thai woman? What are he and his friends doing there at their age? Are the trips aimed at finding happiness? Or an expression of a race against time?

Information about the Film:

Germany, 2016, 89 Minuten
Director and Scriptwritter: Carolin Genreith
Production: Corso Film
Distribution: Zorro Film

A co-production with WDR
Production supported by the Filmstiftung NRW, the Filmförderung Hamburg Schleswig-Holstein der FFA and the DFFF.

Award: Audience Award Duisburger Film Week

Language: German with English and Vietnamese subtitles

Free entrance

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Watch the film’s trailer: