Inside Rice: A Grain of Culture

A film by Thimothee Janssen for Acacia Films

From the rice paddies in the country to the streets of Ho Chi Minh City, this lively film allows us to view contemporary Vietnam through a unique perspective: the culture of rice. This poor, densely populated country of 84 million has had to recover from the ravages of war, the loss of financial support from the old Soviet Bloc, and the rigidities of a centrally planned economy. From the rice paddies in the country to the streets of Ho Chi Minh City, this lively film allows us to view contemporary Vietnam through a unique perspective: the culture of rice. In the breathtakingly beautiful countryside, the hard-working rice farmers are entirely dependent on the single-crop farming of rice and worry incessantly about the fickle weather ruining their crops. Travelling to Ho Chi Minh City, the film shows talented cooks preparing and selling a fabulous variety of rice dishes from pushcarts on the streets and in restaurants. Vietnam's dynamic private sector is exemplified by these cooks working day and night.

The history of this small grain is intertwined with rites and customs that are an integral part of Vietnamese life and culture. These rites play an important role in the worship of ancestors during prayer and religious ceremonies. The primary economic resource of the country, rice is seen as the symbol of an entire nation.

52 min. Video or DVD. Sale $350. Video rental $85.