Foreign filmmakers do documentary on HCM City’s ‘backpacker area’
A heart-touching documentary made by two foreigners has shown a hidden aspect of Bui Vien Street in Ho Chi Minh City.
“Faces You Forget,” a 30-minute documentary by Will Snyder and Sean Lambe, tells the story of the Vietnamese peddlers in the ‘backpacker area’ in District 1.
The film was screened for the first time on May 5 at Saigon Outcast on Thao Dien Ward’s Nguyen Van Huong Street in District 2.
Snyder, 26, and Lambe, 27, spent a year filming and producing the documentary.
 |
| A scene in the 30-minute documentary “Faces You Forget” by Will Snyder and Sean Lambe |
“I found Bui Vien Street an interesting area, as it is where Vietnamese and foreign cultures meet,” Lambe told Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper.
“Faces You Forget” narrated the sad, untold story of Vietnamese hawkers and young street entertainers in the city’s downtown area, showing the incredible strength of the people who lead hard lives.
The 27-year-old Irishman said their filming was initially part of their exploration of Ho Chi Minh City.
 |
The more they filmed, the more they were interested in the ‘backpacker area’’s lifestyle.
Eventually, they decided to produce a short documentary.
Bui Vien Street has long been a well-known area of the southern metropolis, considering its boisterous ambiance at night.
Hundreds of foreigners gather there every day, enjoying a wide range of food recipes and partying all night.
Both Snyder and Lambe are currently working as English teachers in Ho Chi Minh City.
Two years ago, they decided to move to Vietnam to experience the country’s lifestyle and culture.
