Three Seasons: Screening and Talk on the Making of Modern Vietnam

Asia Society and Columbia University present a screening of the critically acclaimed film “Three Seasons” (1999), on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the end of the Vietnam War and the 30th anniversary of US-Vietnam Reconciliation. This screening marks the closing segment of Columbia University’s symposium Conversations Left Unsettled: Healing the Wounds of War in Vietnam through the Arts, followed by a discussion and Q&A session with the film’s director, Tony Bui, and Director of Columbia University’s Weatherhead East Asian Institute and History Professor, Dr. Lien-Hang Nguyen.

“Three Seasons” is a poignant and visually stunning film that weaves together the stories of four individuals in post-war Vietnam, capturing the essence of a country in transition during the Doi Moi period and the resulting social changes. The discussion will cover the film’s themes and its portrayal of Vietnam during this transformative era, and delve into the broader context of the Doi Moi reforms — which aimed at moving Vietnam away from a centrally planned economy to a “socialist-oriented market economy” that has shaped modern Vietnam.

Three Seasons has garnered numerous awards, including the Grand Jury Prize, Audience Award, and Cinematography Award at the Sundance Film Festival. This special screening will feature the newly remastered Three Seasons, digitally restored to 4K from the original 35mm camera negative.