The Unburied Sounds of a Troubled Horizon (2022)

Overview

The film explores the ways in which material contains memory and holds potential for transformation, reincarnation, and healing. It is inspired by the people of Quang Tri, on the North Central Coast of Vietnam, one of the most heavily bombed areas in the history of modern warfare. The story centers around a woman named Nguyet and her mother, who run a small junkyard on the outskirts of Quang Tri, and Nguyet's cousin Lai. Nguyet earns her living by scavenging and selling pieces of UXO (unexploded ordnances). She also compulsively crafts hanging mobiles from the remnants of the UXO. By chance, she discovers she that these sculptures, which are drawn from her own imagination, hold a remarkable resemblance to the works of Alexander Calder. She embarks on a journey to uncover the source of this uncanny likeness. [Overview courtesy of James Cohan Gallery]