Watch Saigon Eclipse

Saigon Eclipse is a Vietnamese drama film from 2007 that tells the story of a forbidden romance between a Vietnamese-Australian photographer and his Vietnamese guide in the heat of Saigon's Tet celebrations. It follows the story of Kien An (Truong Ngoc Anh), a young woman from the Mekong Delta region who moves to Saigon to work as a tour guide. One day, she meets the Australian-born photographer, Ben (Dustin Nguyen), who hires her to take him around the city and show him the sights. Despite initial hesitations, the two find themselves drawn to each other and begin a passionate love affair that soon becomes complicated due to their cultural differences and the disapproving opinions of those around them.

As they navigate the challenges of their relationship, Kien An and Ben are also forced to confront their own personal demons. Kien An must come to terms with her painful past, including the disappearance of her father during the Vietnam War, while Ben struggles with the trauma of his own experiences as a Vietnamese-Australian refugee.

Saigon Eclipse is a visually stunning film that captures the vibrancy and chaos of Saigon during the Tet celebrations. It offers a unique perspective on the city, weaving in references to its tumultuous history and its present-day struggles with modernity and globalisation.

Alongside the two main characters, the film features a strong supporting cast of Vietnamese actors, including Johnny Nguyen as Kien An's ex-boyfriend, who is drawn into a dangerous world of gangsters and corruption, and Ngo Thanh Van as Kien An's loyal best friend.

The film is directed by Othello Khanh, a Vietnamese-American filmmaker whose other work includes the acclaimed documentaries, The Fragility of Seconds and The Colonel and the Communists. It was produced by Timothy Linh Bui, a Vietnamese-American director and producer known for his work on Green Dragon, Three Seasons and The Prince and Me.

Overall, Saigon Eclipse is a powerful and emotional film, exploring themes of love, loss, and cultural identity in a complex and thought-provoking way. It is a visually stunning movie with memorable performances from its cast and offers a unique perspective on Vietnamese culture and history.