The Vertical Ray of the Sun

2000 1h 52m VI

👍

6.6

SOLID

★6.6TMDB · 69

DramaRomance

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

Hanoi comes across almost picture-perfect in director Tran Anh Hung's beautiful, elegiac tale about the lives and loves of three Vietnamese sisters. A mood characteristic of Hung's films is set early on with the vivid sounds of birds, insects and water and the way the lighting enhances the subtle use of color. They all combine to gem-like effect here.

“Some stories are better left unspoiled.”

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Cast

Trần Nữ Yên Khê
Lien
Như Quỳnh
Suong
Lê Khanh
Khanh
Ngo Quang Hai
Hai
Chu Hùng
Quoc
Mạnh Cường
Kien
Lê Tuấn Anh
Tuan
Doan Viet Ha
Ngan

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Trần Anh Hùng
Writers: Trần Anh Hùng
Languages: Vietnamese
Countries: Vietnam, France, Germany

Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.

Did you know?

Fun facts 🍿

1 / 8

ERA

Did you know

26 years old — old enough to be someone's favourite childhood film.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 8

WORLD

Did you know

International production across 3 countries: Vietnam, France, Germany.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by Trần Anh Hùng, shot by Mark Lee Ping-Bing. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Original score by Tôn-Thât Tiêt. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Editor Mario Battistel shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 8

CAST

Did you know

Trần Nữ Yên Khê and Như Quỳnh and Lê Khanh carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 8

WILD

Did you know

IMDB entry: tt0224578 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

8 / 8

WILD

Did you know

Only 69 TMDB ratings — you're getting ahead of the curve on this one.

MoodPlayr · trivia#08

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Trần Anh Hùng directs. Mark Lee Ping-Bing behind the camera. Tôn-Thât Tiêt scores. Mario Battistel cuts. Produced in Vietnam, France, Germany. Dialogue in Vietnamese.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

126 years old — old enough to be someone's favourite childhood film.
2International production across 3 countries: Vietnam, France, Germany.
3Directed by Trần Anh Hùng, shot by Mark Lee Ping-Bing. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
4Original score by Tôn-Thât Tiêt. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
5Editor Mario Battistel shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
6Trần Nữ Yên Khê and Như Quỳnh and Lê Khanh carry the top of the cast.
7IMDB entry: tt0224578 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
8Only 69 TMDB ratings — you're getting ahead of the curve on this one.
9Released under 10 different titles around the world.