The Taste of Pho

Film description

10-year-old Maja hides from her classmates the lunch of traditional meals prepared for her every morning by her father, a Vietnamese chef and master of pho soup, who is trying to find his own path in the reality of Warsaw. When his long-term boss decides to return to his homeland, he has to face the requirements of the new restaurant owner. However, mastering new cooking skills is a minor challenge, compared to raising his daughter as a single parent: the growing-up girl is incredibly perceptive.

Mariko Bobrik tells her Polish-Vietnamese story through frames inspired by works of Yasujiro Ozu. Subdued colours reflect the aura of winter in the city with its grey pavements and interiors filled with warm light. With ordinary objects and small gestures the director relates her characters’ complex emotions and desires. She gives the viewers an insight into the life of Warsaw Vietnamese community but her story is much more universal. This warm family portrait is a touching essay on closeness and alienation, longing and consequence in pursuit of one’s goals.

Jagoda Murczyńska