Mây, a documentary directed by Nguyễn Đức Đệ, has been nominated for best director in the documentary category at the 31st Asian Television Awards. The roughly 30-minute film follows a young chimpanzee and her caretaker at Vinpearl Safari Phú Quốc, Tuổi Trẻ reported.
Mây’s recovery
Born in 2023, Mây was the first offspring of Jerry, a chimpanzee from South Africa, and Baby, from Malaysia’s Taiping Zoo. Her mother initially cared for her, but Mây became weak when Baby could not provide enough milk. Animal-care staff and veterinarians decided to rear her separately and monitor her closely.
Animal caretaker Nguyễn Thanh Phong spent time feeding Mây, tending to her health and playing with her. The newspaper described visitors seeing him carry the young chimpanzee around the park and Mây looking for him as she moved around her room.
The film follows her from a fragile infant to a stronger animal returning to her mother. According to the report, the care team’s aim was to help Mây gradually rejoin her chimpanzee family and develop natural behaviours. For Phong, that also meant learning to step back after a long period of close care.
A story without narration
Nguyễn Đức Đệ chose to tell the story through intimate moments without a narrator. The director said the film reflects on attachment and responsibility, including the difficult task of helping another living being thrive without remaining dependent on its human carer.
Tuổi Trẻ reported that Mây was rebroadcast in a VTV2 documentary slot on the evening of 6 November. At the time of its 7 November report, Phong was also hand-rearing Núi, Mây’s prematurely born younger brother.
According to Tuổi Trẻ, the 31st Asian Television Awards ceremony is scheduled for 13 and 14 November in Ho Chi Minh City.