Vientiane

“Vientiane, the capital of Laos. The town is dusting itself out, Communism is soluble. Vientiane has fallen. I imagine that it is charming, welcoming, poetic and on a human scale. The Mekong carries its murmurs, and it is surely like a jewel set in the middle of a large forest. Vientiane. The word itself resonates like a precious stone. Experiencing and filming its breathing, during the daytime and at night, its waves and shocks. Opening oneself up to the unexpected, seeing the life of the tumultuous crowd, and finding peaceful retreats. Walking in the town, walking in search of encounters. Filming simple portraits that are silent but not mute. Photographing the furrows of a life, an eye that escapes the camera, a young woman’s smile, the magnificent arrogance of a child. The faces of Vientiane. A journey, in order to polish my gem.” (Didier Nion)