‘Ky Nam Inn’ and Do Thi Hai Yen’s journey ‘back’ to cinema

'Ky Nam Inn' is a film shot entirely on 35mm, set in the textured atmosphere of 1980s Saigon.

At its center is Ky Nam, a widowed woman quietly making a living in an old apartment complex, becoming the soul of the film.

Ky Nam meets Khang, played by Lien Binh Phat, a young translator who has just moved to the city, and between them forms a delicate connection: not merely friendship, but profound empathy born from shared sensibilities toward life and culture.

Ky Nam: The role layered with emotion for Yen

A widow shaped by historical upheavals and trapped by circumstance, Ky Nam carries unspoken losses as both mother and wife, living in a decaying apartment block where she cooks monthly meals for the families around her.

With an intellectual upbringing as well as a love for books and music, Ky Nam captivates from the first seconds: her elegant aura, deep gaze, and serene poise stand in stark contrast to the cramped surroundings and the simplicity of her job.

Ky Nam is portrayed by Yen with attentiveness and delicacy.

From her posture to her gait, from the calm precision of her gestures to the measured tone of a woman raised in old traditions, every detail is crafted with care.

The actress shared that to 'live' fully as Ky Nam down to her smallest habits, she trained her voice, lowering her naturally high, clear tone into something muted, grounded, and seasoned, befitting the character.

"Ky Nam is traditional in the truest sense. Even in cooking, she arranges every dish with care; everything on the table looks like a work of art. That's her nature: whatever she does, she puts her heart into it, and everything must be done properly, starting from the smallest things," Yen says.

Built as a character with deep, quiet interiority, Ky Nam has few lines.

Instead, her emotional shifts from stillness and subtle tremors to moments of intense inner upheaval are conveyed through her eyes, her breath, and fleeting changes in her expression.

Her eyes, especially the only gateway through which Ky Nam reveals her hidden emotions, confirm Yen's rare sensitivity and mastery within Vietnamese cinema.

At the threshold of emotional eruption, the first and only time Ky Nam cries, her reddened eyes and hollow, trembling gaze are enough to articulate the chaos and collapse occurring inside.

This requires a distinct level of acting rigor: not only research, but the ability to 'reach the very end of the character,' understanding each psychological layer and exercising immense restraint and control.

"The more ambiguous something is, the harder it is to express. When I work, I always feel like I'm walking on a tightrope, never allowing myself to step off. Everything has to come from what cannot be said, from expressions or body language, from the eyes and the question: 'What am I trying to say with this look?' That's what makes the audience want to lean in, wanting to know what the character will do next," Yen shares.

'I didn't return to prove anything'

'Ky Nam Inn' is an emotional journey for Yen. It is not a loud comeback nor a calculated return.

For her, the film feels like a homecoming, to the honest emotions cinema gives her, to the artistic dream she has always carried.

"The most magical thing about acting is the chance to become someone completely different, to explore a world that isn't yours. Ky Nam is a woman who has endured so much more than her refined exterior reveals. Beneath her calmness and distinct ways are the blows and losses she never chose, which she can only face with endurance, strength, and without complaint. Each of her life choices, even the rare moment she allows herself to follow her heart, is subtle. I love characters like that. To me, a woman like Ky Nam deserves to be told on screen," the actress says.

Yen first touched cinema at age twelve, in what she describes as a fated coincidence when director Nguyen Vinh Son cast her in a Vietnam–France co-production.

In 2000, she appeared in Tran Anh Hung's 'The Vertical Ray of the Sun,' alongside actresses she deeply admired, Nhu Quynh, Le Khanh, and Tran Nu Yen Khe.

Her career reached a milestone in 2002 when she became the first Vietnamese actress to star in a Hollywood film, playing Phuong in 'The Quiet American' opposite Michael Caine and Brendan Fraser.

From that point, Yen continued exploring distinct cinematic identities: Pao in 'The Story of Pao' (2006), 'Adrift' (2009), 'Floating Lives' (2010), and 'Big Father, Small Father and Other Stories…' (2015).

Each character offered a different emotional landscape, becoming part of the memory box she carries from her years devoted to cinema.

These films also earned significant international recognition: 'The Story of Pao' represented Vietnam at the Oscars (Best Foreign Language Film), 'Adrift' won the FIPRESCI Prize at the Venice Film Festival, and 'Floating Lives' drew attention across regional festivals.

Her career may not be prolific in volume, but each project holds value and a life beyond Vietnamese borders.

A full decade since 'Big Father, Small Father and Other Stories…' (2015), Yen has never truly left cinema.

Her years away were spent primarily on family, a choice she considers necessary and meaningful. For her, each stage of a woman's life has different priorities.

"I always listen to my heart and focus on what matters most at each moment. When I chose to be with my children, it wasn't a sacrifice. It was what I genuinely wanted, because childhood only comes once. When they grew older, I returned to the cinema, the passion I always cherish. Everything, when it arrives at the right time, is the right choice," she confides.

Reflecting on her time away, she feels no loss, only gratitude.

"I lived fully as a mother. I found peace and emotional maturity. Time isn't the most important thing. What matters is whether you can still feel something deeply enough to create from it."

After 'Ky Nam Inn,' Yen's artistic journey continues with thoughtful choices.

Her role as Duchess Duong in the historical epic 'The Last Secret Of The First Emperor' reflects her desire to challenge herself in new territories.

The upcoming film '1982' further proves her affinity for characters with depth, women shaped by hardship yet carrying inherent grace.

In every choice, Yen remains steadfast in her love for cinema and her belief in truthful emotion:

"I just hope I can preserve the most honest feelings when I work. I didn't return to prove anything. I returned for roles I believe in, roles I love and want to live with. If audiences can watch and truly feel the character, that is the most precious reward."