Three Seasons

In the misty mornings of Saigon, young girls wake to pick real lotuses from a flower pond and bundle them for sale to tourists and locals. Their songs float across the water and catch the attention of Teacher Dao, a poet who lives in an old temple overlooking the pond. The scene establishes a quiet, timeless rhythm at the edge of the bustling city.

Kien An enters the group as a newcomer, bringing a fresh energy to the morning routine by the pond. She becomes part of the circle that gathers each dawn before heading into the city.

The girls are driven to the bustling streets of Saigon to sell lotus in bundles for 5,000 đồng. There we meet Hai, a cyclo driver, and Woody, a street peddler, alongside Lan, who works in grand hotels as a prostitute.

Hai encounters Lan and they form a fragile bond. Lan confesses she dreams of a life beyond her current work, including a quieter world and less intrusion.

Lan reveals that she won't be doing this job for long and longs for an air-conditioned room and a life with fewer worries. Hai's tenderness becomes a glimmer of hope as he listens and cares.

Hai wins 200 USD in a cyclo race and uses the money to try to fulfill Lan's dream. Lan accepts his generosity but feels unworthy and ultimately rejects his romantic advances, struggling with guilt and self-worth.

Hai's meeting with Kien An highlights a critique of Western convenience: plastic flowers can't compare to her real, hand-picked blooms. He asks for two, but Kien An gives him the lotus for free.

Kien An's songs draw the interest of Teacher Dao, a former celebrated poet who lost his fingers to leprosy. He speaks of the river markets of his youth and longs to write again, even if only in memory.

Kien An promises to lend Dao her fingertips in spirit and visits his temple to copy the verses he recites. She becomes part of his dream of reclaiming the poet’s voice.

Dao's health declines due to age and leprosy; his headman Huy carries out his final wish and passes Dao's poetry book to Kien An. The book contains a never-before-seen photo of Dao in his prime, hinting at his earlier charm.

Following Dao's wishes, Kien An visits the river market and drops lotus flowers into the water, letting them float downstream as in the poet’s recurring dream.

James Hager, an American G.I., returns to Vietnam in hopes of finding his daughter and reconciling with the place. He spends weeks observing Saigon’s hotel district, smoking and watching a restaurant across the street.

Hager finally meets his daughter and, in a quiet gesture, offers her a bundle of lotus buds he bought from Kien An while trying to converse with her.

The film threads together Kien An, Lan, Hai, and Woody to portray a vanishing culture. Kien An embodies tradition, Lan embodies a present reinventing itself, Hai acts as a bridge between eras, and Woody hints at a future as he plays soccer in the rain.