Inbetween Worlds

Mai (23), a second-generation Vietnamese woman in Prague, feels torn between her Czech upbringing and her parents’ traditions. When they pressure her to marry Tuan, a family friend from Vietnam, to help him immigrate and save their indebted restaurant, guilt compels her to agree. She secretly weds Tuan in Vietnam, where unexpected ties to her heritage begin to stir. Back in Prague, Mai confesses everything to her boyfriend Daniel, who is heartbroken but supportive—until Tuan moves in to legitimize the marriage under immigration scrutiny. Caught between duty and desire, Mai loses Daniel and spirals deeper into a life built on sacrifice. At a staged wedding banquet, Mai finally breaks. She rejects Tuan’s feelings and confronts her parents. Fleeing in her wedding dress, Mai begins a lonely but freeing journey toward selfhood. Months later, her photos tell the story of reclaiming her voice.

Director’s statement
As a child of Vietnamese immigrants, I grew up navigating two cultures—my parents’ traditional values and Czech society. I was raised to be obedient, gentle, and marriageable, molded into the ideal Vietnamese woman. At 22, I was asked to marry a man in Vietnam so he could emigrate; €20,000 was offered. I declined, but the emotional weight of that moment shaped this film.

Mai, the protagonist, carries a similar burden—torn between her own desires and deep-rooted obligations to her family. Her arranged marriage mirrors the transactional expectations often present in diasporic communities.

Blending live action with collage animation (30%), the film visualizes Mai’s inner world—her fears, guilt, and longing for freedom.
With Inbetween Worlds, I want to challenge stereotypes and offer a layered, authentic portrayal of identity, migration, and the complexity of growing up between cultures.