Dust and Metal

An illuminating and highly creative documentary featuring past and present stories of freedom in Vietnam, Dust and Metal combines archive film, contemporary footage, and a stunning soundtrack to highlight an unorthodox history of Vietnam. Showcasing motorbikes at the very core of Vietnam’s recent history, this unique film, directed by Esther Johnson, swoops and swoons to the sounds of engines and horns while paying homage to the country’s remarkable cinematic history, creating an unparalleled symphony of Vietnamese life.

I’m thrilled to be invited to screen Dust & Metal at LIFF, a festival that has supported many of my short films. I’m fascinated with film heritage so it’s additionally fantastic to screen in Leeds, a city where Louis Le Prince shot, arguably, the earliest films in 1888. This film has been a labour of love made through the particularly difficult period of covid lockdowns. The film integrates much unseen footage from the Vietnam Film Institute, and it was incredibly gratifying to be able to contribute to the preservation of such works from Vietnam’s film heritage through new 2K scans made of rare films.

Director Esther Johnson