Quan 13 (2019)

Paris is home to one of the largest and oldest Vietnamese communities in the world; however, little has been documented about the Vietnamese diaspora in Paris. Hieu Gray aims to change that in her new documentary “Quận 13” which refers to the Vietnamese name for Paris’ 13th arrondissment or district, home to the city’s Asian Quarter. Food is an essential part of life for both Vietnamese and French culture. Vietnamese people often greet one another with the phrase “Have you eaten?’’ in lieu of “How are you?” It is thru food that Hieu Gray tells their stories. The dining room table serves as a stepping stone into a greater glimpse of their lives and what it means to be “Viet Kieu” or Vietnamese living outside of Vietnam.