Leon Le’s latest film Song Lang is a gritty underworld noir hiding a tender, romantic heart. At the film’s core is the unlikely bond that develops between hunky, brooding Dung (Lien Binh Phat), a tough debt collector for a ruthless loan shark, and Linh Phung (V-pop star Isaac), a charismatic young opera singer for a struggling company that performs Cai-Luong, a modern form of traditional Vietnamese folk opera.
The two meet when Dung comes to forcefully collect a debt from the opera troupe, but when their paths cross again, a friendship develops, awakening surprising, tender feelings in both men. With his first feature film, director Leon Le has delivered a rich drama: a smoldering relationship between two apparent opposites–equally uncompromising–set against the backdrop of a gorgeous, fading art form.
Now, before we go any further, I have to ask – how are you doing, with all that’s been going on this year in the world?
I’m actually doing okay, thank you. After getting stuck in Vietnam for almost 7 months, it was nice to be back home to be closer to my love ones and my dog. And because I’ve been living and working in Asia, especially Vietnam for the past few years, I am so used to wearing mask all the time now.
Has it affected your work at all?
Not really. At the moment, I’m working on a couple of new screenplays, and that’s pretty much consisting of me being alone in my own world days in and days out. I’m also an introvert; some would even call me anti-social, so being in quarantine is pretty much my everyday life. During my time in Saigon after the pandemic kicked in (there were no flights out of Vietnam), I was able to complete all the needed research for my next scripts, so it all worked out.
In terms of SONG LANG, was its US release plans affected by the pandemic?
Because the studio and the sales team are handling all of the distribution, I don’t get involved. But I’m sure the pandemic didn’t help. I just wish the audience had a chance to see Song Lang on the big screen instead of through streaming services. It’s just not the same experience. But prior to the US theatrical release, we already had many wonderful film festival screenings so I shouldn’t be too greedy.
In a dream world, how would you have liked to have opened the film?
Since New York is my home, I would say a premiere at the Paris theatre on 5th Ave, then a few weeks run at the Angelika Film Centre and Film Forum would be lovely. That’s all I wanted. I’ve been watching indie films at these places for years. And I always wanted to have my movie plays in those theatres. Oh well, perhaps a special 10th or 20th-anniversary re-release of Song Lang in the future, who knows. But we did have New York premiere in 2019 at Lincoln Centre for New York Asian Film Festival; all my New York friends were able to come, so that was pretty awesome. 
How long ago was SONG LANG made?
We finished the first draft of the script in 2016, went into production in middle of 2017 and completed the final cut just one week before the Vietnam premiere in August 2018.
And did you make any tweaks or changes to it for its international release in the US?
Yes. A few changes were made to the director’s cut, aka the theatrical release version in Vietnam. But probably only me would notice those changes, to be honest. They are super small. And no “kissing scene” between the male leads was cut as rumoured. There was never any kissing scene. Dung and Linh Phung never touched.
Do you feel it’s a very universal story?
Love, regrets, heartbreaks…, I think these are the feelings that everyone can relate to. No matter who we are, where we came from, we all must at least once in our lives had these experiences, if we’re lucky.
I think we’d be remiss not to give a shoutout to the costume designer. Who was it, and what an incredible job they did!!
Thank you. Ghia Fam was our production designer as well as costume designer. He did a fantastic job, especially considering our tiny budget. And Ms. Kim Phuong, a former Cai Luong (Vietnamese Traditional Opera) performer, was the one who created all of the elaborate opera costumes. Fun fact: She also made the costume for the original production of My Chau-Trong Thuy, which inspired the My Chau-Trong Thuy version in the film. By the way, due to fans’ requests, we are about to release our limited English edition, hardcover photobook Song Lang: Behind the Curtain in November. Fans can go to www.songlangbook.com for more information.