> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://edn.as/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # MIFF 2026: Hair, Paper, Water… - URL: https://edn.as/miff-2026-hair-paper-water/ - Published: 2026-08-17T12:05:42.000Z - Updated: 2026-08-18T10:24:42.000Z - Description: Languages that are slowly dying down due to globalisation (and well, colonisation) exist in my home country, Indonesia, too. Moreover, this film is categorised as a "doc vision" which is described as... - Author: Sande Harsa - Tags: movie-review, miff-2026 Melbourne International Film Festival 2026 is ongoing and I went to watch my eighth session (of 13!) This post my short review of 'Hair, Paper, Water..." or in the Vietnamese title: 'Tóc, Giấy và Nước…' > For context: I am a photographer/youtuber that wants to up my cinematography and storytelling, that’s why I’m watching 14 sessions at the film festival PLUS reviewing them here on my blog! ## Why did I choose to watch this? It's going to sound a bit of a shallow reason, but the main draw is because it's about Vietnam and my wife is Vietnamese. During MIFF, I want to watch some of the films with my wife. She's interested in films as well, but just don't want to watch as many as movie. This one reeled her in! That being said, I was also intrigued by the synopsis. Languages that are slowly dying down due to globalisation (and well, colonisation) exist in my home country, Indonesia, too. Moreover, this film is categorised as a "doc vision" which is described as: > Between documentary and fiction lie captivating works that merge observation and imagination in daring, surprising ways, redefining how film can show us the world. Sounds intriguing, doesn't it? It's my first doc vision viewing at MIFF, and maybe ever. I feel like it's the kind of video work that I might attempt to do for YouTube. *All images courtesy of miff.com.au* ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/16/4f/164f5675-f8de-440a-ae0a-ebe2c9767c26/content/images/2026/08/hair-paper-w-037623_16481-1.jpg) ## Who would I recommend this to? People who like to dive into cultural history. Those who like serene movies that calms you down more than action packed ones. Also for Vietnamese people, or if you have a Vietnamese family member or friend or just visited and loved the place. *Spoilers ahead, though I personally it's not the type of movie that you need to worry about spoilers.* ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/16/4f/164f5675-f8de-440a-ae0a-ebe2c9767c26/content/images/2026/08/hair-paper-w-037623_16480.jpg) ## Structure The film is classified as a doc visionary, meaning a documentary with some fictional elements. It's not very clear which parts are fictional, just from watching it I feel like all the people and the story is real but some of the scenes or settings might be made more poetic and enhanced. Though I'd say that's still within the constraint of a documentary. As per the synopsis, the film follows a woman from the Rục ethnic group in Vietnam. For context, there are 54 ethnic groups in Vietnam with a Kinh being the majority with 85% of the population. The reset of the groups are very low percentages. Rục is one of 5 tribes within the of the Chứt group which has the population of 0.01%. The film follows the woman to Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City) to care for a family-friend that just gave birth. Then the story unfolded to her relationship with her grandson, the one to whom she is passing on her language. The way the language teaching is conveyed in the movie is by her reading out a word and for the grandson to repeat it. But it's just conveyed through audio, the scene would depict scenery of her doing something else, or the grandson, or just sceneries of her hometown or where the grandson lives. One feedback that I have for the structure is pacing in some parts. The camera seems to linger just a bit too long when shooting some picture-esque scenes like the river, the forests, and so on. I understand that it's meant to be slow paced film, and perhaps the point is to be slow. But I do think it's a little bit too lengthy at some points. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/16/4f/164f5675-f8de-440a-ae0a-ebe2c9767c26/content/images/2026/08/hair-paper-w-037623_16482.jpg) ## Narrative I mentioned bits of the narrative in the structure. The one that I haven't mentioned that is in the synopsis is that the grandson is studying English at school. That's the contrast that the film is trying to show. The grandson is studying these two languages that have totally different purposes and meaning to him. The grandmother's language representing the conservation of his culture and roots. The English language representing breaking out of that, surviving in a globalised world, and establishing himself in a world that is not run by his own people. There's a part where the grandson was interviewed about his life now and he wants to do in the future. He disclosed that his father is abusive towards him and his mom. Then said that his plan is to move away, get married one day, build a house for himself - "not here" he said - but still come back to visit his mom. I feel like it represents the feelings of migrants, not even to another country but to another city. It's a struggle between wanting to make things better for themselves but wanting to conserve who you are. That phrase "make things better" struck the most with my wife. The film shows various scenes of the woman using traditional medicines, living in simple houses, doing laundry, going to the woods to harvest yams, and so on. Simple living that through the medium of the 16mm film tape can look grungy. It has the feeling that it might have struck a chord along the lines of "oh, poor them" among the audience members. However, that's how the woman lives and she prefers it - established really early on with scenes of her visiting Saigon and saying "this place is crazy!" To finish off this section, I want to mention that in the film there was a billboard that said "Getting out of poverty is in the hands of every individual". What an apt find by the filmmaking team. ## Cinematography The film was shot on 16mm film. The quality of it makes it really nostalgic yet real. However, in my opinion, the subject matter itself is already plays into that. I feel like the film choice or perhaps the grading (not sure how much grading can you do with the medium) is too dark and gloomy. I don't think it needs to be bright and contrasty, but perhaps just slightly tweaked to be towards the modern scale. As mentioned before, some of the shots are held on for a long time. The same scene shot from different perspective, some times with fast panning. In some scenes, the ones with people in it, it works well. In the scenes of showing the forest, the river, basically the scenery without the people in it, it feels a bit excessive. This is accented by having no clear sense of where they are and where they are going, which by itself I like because it adds a sense of mystery and serenity, however when it lingers too long it's just alienating. That said, maybe that's what they were going for! I love the shots of the people the most. From the woman, to the grandson, to the newly born baby. Scenes when they were doing everyday chores or just walking down the street. Feels like scenes that I would see on vlogs on YouTube but done better - though I think I'm too much of a novice to point out in what aspects is it better. ## Outro 'Hair, Paper, Water…' is a lovely documentary on passing on a language that not many people speak anymore. It's about conserving culture in the face of globalisation. It's a story about one woman's effort in doing so, and her hope for the future of her grandson.