16:30 is a 17-minute short film by Vietnamese director Tran Dung Thanh Huy which made an appearence at the Cannes film festival in 2013. The film tells the story of a group of young Saigon boys who sell lottery tickets on the city’s streets.
According to Yxineff which brought the film to Cannes:
“[The title of the film] is the time television stations broadcast lotto results which are used as results for “so de“ – a simple form of betting played by city residents. To the boys who sell betting results, 16:30 is also their starting time for a workday.
The camera follows them and the papers through the city web. From broad highways to narrow lanes, an urban landscape is gradually formed. Colourful shades of life at the same time blossom on the canvas and seeds of love patiently sprout amid living hardship.
The story of the lotto result in 16:30 is a very Vietnamese story in its theme and context. On the other hand, the story of millions of children who must work for a living at such young age is also a universal story with a strong social message.”
Though it’s been screened in Vietnam on numerous occasions, we figured those not hooked into the indie film scene may want to give it a watch.
