The Dream Is a Snail
2026 short film by Nguyen Thien An
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The Dream Is a Snail (Vietnamese: Giấc mơ là ốc sên) is a 2026 short film directed by Nguyen Thien An, and co-written with Ly Nguyen. It stars Le Anh Tuan, Nguyen Duc Manh, Phi Dieu and Tran Ky Anh.
- Thien An Nguyen
- Ly Nguyen
- Anderson Le
- Bao Nguyen
- Thao Quiengg
| The Dream Is a Snail | |
|---|---|
| Vietnamese | Giấc mơ là ốc sên |
| Directed by | Thien An Nguyen |
| Written by |
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| Produced by |
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| Starring |
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| Cinematography | Chananun Chotrungroj |
| Edited by | Tao Do |
Release date |
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Running time | 15 minutes |
| Countries |
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| Language | Vietnamese |
The film had its world premiere at the short film competition of the 2026 Cannes Film Festival on 22 May, where it competed for the Short Film Palme d'Or.[1]. It was the first Vietnamese film to be selected for this category.
Premise
The film follows Huy, a popular actor who becomes involved in an experimental artistic project. After participating as a model, he develops an unusual psychological dependence linked to snails, gradually blurring the boundaries between reality and surreal experience.
Cast
- Le Anh Tuan as The Snail artist[2]
- Nguyen Duc Manh as The Curator
- NSƯT Phi Điểu as The old lady
- Tran Ky Anh as The tomato girl
Production
The Dream Is a Snail was developed by Nguyen Thien An as part of the CJ Short Film Project 2025, a programme supporting emerging filmmakers. The film employs a narrative approach that combines realism with surreal and metaphorical elements, reflecting contemporary psychological and artistic themes.[3]
The production was supported by filmmaker Phan Dang Di, who acted as mentor, and cinematography was handled by Chananun Chotrungroj.[4]
Release
The film premiered at the 79th Cannes Film Festival on 22 May 2026, where it has been selected as one of ten short films in the Short Film Competition, competing for the Short Film Palme d'Or.[5][6]