Leon Le
101 mins
Set in 1980s Saigon, Song Lang is a gritty underworld film noir with tender romance at its beating heart. A charismatic singer, specialising in Cai Luong, a modern form of traditional Vietnamese folk opera, falls hard for a brutish debt collector who forcefully collects money from his opera troupe. Despite their different backgrounds, a friendship soon develops into unexpected tender feelings in both men when their paths cross. A genre-blending queer tale of love, loss and fading tradition, Leon Le’s debut feature is a heart-wrenchingly ravishing drama featuring a superb central performance from V-pop star Isaac as the passionate singer.
Leon Le is a writer, director, and actor born in Vietnam. After establishing himself as an accomplished performer in New York and Vietnam, he began writing and directing films. Sing Lang was his feature debut.
2024: As part of A Love Letter to Vietnam: Queer Vietnamese Film Nights, this event is followed by a community supper club.
2020: As part of Queer East Film Festival 2020, this film is presented in partnership with Forbidden Colours at the Barbican Centre.