Toronto International Film Festival 2025 – Writer/director Solara Thanh-Binh Dang’s short film Chín, also known as Ripe, is a strange and surreal journey. Set in the early 2000s Mekong Delta, the film follows a young woman who must decide if she wants to enter an arranged marriage, as pressure from her family grows. Along the way, she encounters spiritual guides that help form her decision. The result is a visually stunning film with an interesting premise.

The short stars Hayley Ngoc Mai as Le, a farmer’s daughter, as she describes herself at one point. Le lost her mother and she lives with her other relatives. In particular, Ba (Cong Ninh Nguyen) has a lot of influence on her life. After Ba receives a head injury after a durian fruit lands on his head and knocks him out, he eventually encourages Le to give an arranged marriage a shot to help support her family. He even gives her a pamphlet for an arranged marriage dating service.

The short shows the pains Le goes through regarding such a major decision. She finds solace in the lush natural world surrounding her home. There, she apparently communes with spirits, including her mother, who helps guide her path. These surreal moments are simply some of the most stunning in the film and add an ethereal quality to the film.

Eventually, Le encounters a suitor, the wealthy Hieu (Samuel An). For whatever reason, he wants Le’s hand in marriage, even though he knows nothing about her and only saw a picture. The brief encounter between the two is a bit too underdeveloped and undercooked, especially some of the class differences. This also leads to a rather ambiguous ending that leaves no definitive answers regarding Le’s eventual path.

I would love to see the world within this short film explored more. Le deserves a deeper story. That said, Chín balances the harsh reality of an arranged marriage with spiritual and otherworldly elements. The film also has moments of sheer beauty, even when supernatural elements may be at play.