Environmental nightmare: A still from Water-2030, directed by Nguyen Vo Nghiem Minh. — Photo www.cafilm.org

HA NOI (VNS) — A film that warns about the impact of climate change on humans will be screened at the Mill Valley Film Festival (MVFF) in the US.

Water-2030, directed by Nguyen Vo Nghiem Minh, is listed in the category of World Cinema, and will be screened on October 9 and 10. The film is making its debut in the US and tickets would be available.

The 98-minute film, which is a brilliant fusion of different genres (apocalyptic film, sci-fi, thriller and romance), is set in the year 2030, when most of the cultivable land in southern Viet Nam has been submerged by water due to extreme climatic changes.

It is a beautiful film that blends elements of romance, murder, mystery and tales of vengeance to dramatise the Cuu Long (Mekong) Delta's impending environmental nightmare.

In the near-future southern Viet Nam, where rising water levels have displaced 80 per cent of the people and vegetables are scarce, the human survivors live on houseboats and catch fish or whatever's left of them.

A corporation operates a floating farm nearby, using desalination methods, solar power and, it's rumoured, some methods of ominous significance. When her husband is found dead, young widow Sao gets a job at the farm so that she can find his killer.

"Though climatic changes have caused increasing concern worldwide, the issue has yet to get its due attention in several places, including Viet Nam. I hope my film would help raise an alarm among such communities," director Minh said.

Minh was born in Viet Nam in 1956. He studied in France, and then moved to the US. He worked as a physicist before embarking on his filmmaking career.

His directorial debut Mua Len Trau (Buffalo Boy) was screened at festivals including Toronto, Locarno and Busan and won numerous international awards.

Held by the California Film Institute since 1997, the Mill Valley Film Festival celebrates and promotes film as art and education. The relaxed and non-competitive atmosphere that surrounds MVFF gives filmmakers and audiences alike the opportunity to share their work and experiences in a collaborative and convivial setting.

Every year, the festival attracts the participation of about 200 filmmakers from 50 countries and territories. — VNS