Koan of Spring
Synopsis
Master Truong, the emperor's elderly fencing teacher, is nearing the end of his life and still hasn't found his successor. As the country must prepare itself for war, the emperor becomes impatient and gives Truong fifteen days to find him, under threat of punishment should he fail to do so.
Master Truong then visits an illustrious general who had disappeared in order to become a simple fisherman: Master Wing. He lives with his two sons (Tin and Tan) and his daughter (Lan, who has disfigured face) on the banks of Ba Bê Lake, a lake whose legend Master Truong knows well, having heard about it often as a child. But what he doesn't know is that, this time, he will truly understand its meaning.
He informs Master Wing that he has come to test his two sons, whose praises have been widely sung. Disappointed by their results, he also puts Lan to the test, even though she is apparently not a high level practitioner. However, Master Truong chooses her. He has at last found the person with all the requisite qualities to take his place. But, once again, things will not be so simple.
Once back in the emperor's palace, Master Truong appears without his successor. But he returns with something even more precious.
Credits
Director (1)
Actors (9)
Production and distribution (4)
- Executive Producer : 11 Décembre
- Co-productions : Big Nose, Sesama Production
- Foreign production companies : Sapa Media JDC, Panda Media
- French distribution : 11 Décembre
Full credits (10)
- Executive Producer : Olivier Cohen-Bacri
- Screenwriter : Lou Ma Ho
- Director of Photography : Olivier Cohen-Bacri
- Music Composer : Hyun-Jung Shym
- Assistant Director : Guillaume Montely
- Editor : Lou Ma Ho
- Sound Recordist : Vincent Mauduit
- Line Producer : Lou Ma Ho
- Continuity supervisor : Sophie Bouteiller
- Production Designers : Marco Issoji, Suzanne Lee
Media Gallery
Technical details
- Type : Feature film
- Genres : Fiction
- Sub-genre : Comedy
- Production language : English, Vietnamese
- Coproducer countries : France, Vietnam, South Korea
- Original French-language productions : Unspecified
- Production year : 2013
- French release : 27/01/2016
- Runtime : 1 h 14 min
- Current status : Released
- Visa number : 134.484
- Approval :
- Color type : Color
News & awards
About
Festival awards:
Best Feature Film - Ojai Film Festival (California – Oct 2013)
Best Feature Film - Brantford Film Festival (Canada – Oct 2013)
Best Film and Best Photography - Free Spirit Film Festival (India – Oct 2013)
Best Film Award - CMS International Children’s Film Festival (2014 - India)
Special Mention Best Feature Film - Ouidah Film Festival (Benin - Jan 2014)
Special Mention Best Feature Film - Vittorio Veneto Film Festival (Italia - April 2014)
Special Mention Best Film - Dada Saheb Phalke Film Festival (India - 2014)
Nomination Best Photography - Queens World Film Festival (New York - March 2014)
Nomination Best Feature Film - Lewiston Auburn Film Festival (USA - April 2014)
Nomination Best International Feature Film - Nashik International Film Festival (India – March 2014)
Selected for the following festivals:
62nd International Film Festival Mannheim-Heidelberg (Germany - Nov 2013)
30th Bogota International Film Festival (Colombia - Oct 2013)
Macao Film Festival (Dec - 2013)
Santa Cruz Film Festival (California - Nov 2013)
Chiangkhan International Film Festival (Thailand - Dec 2013)
Spirit Film Festival Tel Aviv (Israel - Oct 2013)
Fer Film Festival (Republic of Kosovo - Oct 2013)
Regiofun Film Festival (Poland - Oct 2013)
Full Length Festival (Poland - Nov 2013)
Levante International Film Festival (Italy - Oct 2013)
Third Eye 12th Asian Film Festival (India - Jan 2014)
20th Victoria Film Festival (Canada - March 2014)
Winter Film Awards (New York - March 2014)
Queens World Film Festival (New York - March 2014)
24th Mediawave International Film and Music Gathering (Hungary - April 2014)
15th Asian International Film Festival of Tours (France - March 2014)
Silver Spring International Film Festival (Florida - USA - April 2014)
Vittorio Veneto International Film Festival (Italy - April 2014)
23th Arizona International Film Festival (USA - April 2014)
CMS International Children’s Film Festival (India - April, 2014)
Capital City Film Festival (Washington - April 2014)
Dada Saheb Phalke Film (India - April 2014)
Lucerne International Film Festival (Canada / Switzerland - 2014)
INDIE FEST USA IFF ( Southern California - 2014)
Hollywood Weekly Magazine Film Festival (California - 2014)
Dharamsala Film Festival (India - May 2014)
