Vietnamese documentary on chimpanzee May nominated for Asian Television Awards 2026

Directed by Nguyen Duc De, May documents the care provided to the young chimpanzee by Nguyen Thanh Phong, an animal care staff member at Vinpearl Safari Phu Quoc, after she was separated from her mother.

The documentary was rebroadcast on VTV2 on the evening of Friday.

May's early life and care

Born in 2023, May is the first offspring of Jerry, a chimpanzee from South Africa, and Baby, who came from Taiping Zoo in Malaysia.

Baby initially cared for May after her birth.

However, she produced insufficient milk, leaving the infant chimpanzee increasingly weak.

Baby also eventually stopped allowing May to stay with her.

The park's staff and veterinarians subsequently decided to separate May from her mother and provide individual care through bottle-feeding, continuous monitoring and medical support.

During this period, Phong became May's primary caregiver and took on the role of her adoptive father.

He spent considerable time feeding, caring for and playing with her, although he had not started a family of his own.

The documentary follows May's development from a weak infant to a stronger young chimpanzee who could eventually return to her mother.

Visitors to the park were often surprised to see Phong carrying May and playing with her around the facility.

May became familiar with the animal care team, learned to open doors and regularly looked for Phong.

When Phong went on business trips, May appeared to miss him and sometimes became upset when he was unavailable to hold her.

As May grew stronger, Phong and the care team worked to prepare her for a gradual return to her chimpanzee family.

The process aimed to help her integrate with other chimpanzees and develop natural behaviors.

The transition was emotionally difficult for Phong because of his close attachment to May after an extended period of caregiving.

"I also had to learn to be apart from May, although there were times when I felt very sad. After spending so much time looking after her, I realized that I had changed in many ways. I began living more simply, learning to give, love, care for and share with others," Phong said.

He said caregivers should approach their work with dedication and that his affection for May had been reciprocated through their close bond.

Documentary receives Asian Television Awards nomination

Filmed at Vinpearl Safari Phu Quoc, the documentary features the work of staff involved in animal care and wildlife conservation.

Director Nguyen Duc De used everyday footage without narration to document the relationship between May and her adoptive father.

The film also explores human relationships with animals through the story of the young chimpanzee and her caregiver.

"The film offers quiet reflections on attachment, responsibility and a difficult aspect of love: sometimes, truly loving a living being means helping it live well even when we are no longer by its side," De said.

Phong is now caring for Nui, May's younger brother, who was born prematurely and is around three months old.