THE BOY WITH NO FACE

A documentary film about helping Hoa – a Vietnamese boy who fell victim to an American phosphorous bomb and lived to tell the tale of his remarkable journey.

In 1996 Folke Rydén made a news story about Hoa, who for many years could neither eat properly nor smile. Göran Arvinius, an ordinary Swedish citizen, was deeply moved by the report and decided to take action and help Hoa to get a new face.

The Boy With No Face explores the collective guilt felt by westerners about the Third World and shows how hard it is to change things, even with the best intentions. It is a story about compassion, empathy and helping others.

The film was released in March 2003 and shown at movie theatres around Sweden in the spring of 2003.

In June 2003 the film was selected to represent Sweden at The European Union Film Festival 2003 in Vietnam. In August the film was shown at the Jönköping film festival in Sweden.

 

Production Team

Producer: Folke Rydén
Camera: Dan Jåma
Music: Viveka Risberg
Co-production Partners: SVT, DR, NRK, YLE, Svenska Filminstitutet, Nordisk Film & TV Fond, MEDIA Programme of the European Union, CS Associates

 

Awards

2004 Finalist Award – The New York Festivals

 

Reviews

”Folke Rydén has made a fascinating and multi-facetted story which Dan Jåma´s photography gives a poetic objectivity”
– Svenska Dagbladet

”… touching and reminds at its best of No Man’s Land”
– Göteborgsposten

“…absorbing”
– Upsala Nya Tidning

” … awakens split emotions…that’s why it is more interesting”
– Metro

“A profoundly heartbreaking case study “
– Nöjesguiden

“A truly moving film… incredibly touching…”
– arton.nu


Reviews Swedish

“…Sätter igång en massa tankar…Vänliga människor från väst som vill väl, men det finns inga snabba lösningar.”
– Aftonbladet

“…Lika enkel som gripande…en välbehövlig årsredovisning av kollektiv skuld 2003.”
– Nöjesguiden

”…Stark…hjärtslitande”
– TCO Tidningen

“En fin dokumentär om Göran Arvinius hjälpprojekt som leder till att en familj i Boston, en kirurg och en svensk pastor förenas för att hjälpa.”
– Helsingin Sanomat, Finland