Motion Picture Rating (MPA): PG-13 for thematic material, nudity including a full nude image, and some language.

Jointly with The Cricket and the Muddy Adventure, In Waves is the first animated feature to be accepted to Viet Film Fest. VFF is screening the English dub of In Waves, which is being shown out-of-competition.

Adapted from AJ Dungo’s 2019 graphic novel of the same name, Phuong Mai Nguyen’s adaptation of In Waves follows AJ (Will Sharpe) and Kristen (Stephanie Hsu) in a romantic drama set amid Southern Californian suburbia and beaches. AJ, a shy skateboarder and illustrator, meets Kristen, a surfer, at a dance. From there, they will share a love that will be tested when Kristen falls ill. Over time, that love will endow both with warmth and the strength they need to persevere – expressed through both drawing and surfing.

Director Phuong Mai Nguyen returns to VFF a decade after winning the Grand Jury Trống Đồng Award for Best Short Film with Chez moi (My Home; VFF 2016) – still the only animated film that has ever won an award at VFF. Her film’s visual style is a blend of influences: Dungo’s graphic novel, French animation’s diverse heritage and present, the portraits of David Hockney, and its distinct SoCal setting (including VFF’s native Orange County). And that style is thanks to a number of animation studios across France using Blender to create the film’s distinct 2D/3D hybrid aesthetic. Bringing down the curtains on VFF 2026’s in-person screenings is this unique piece of independent European animation, upholding the love that makes it beautiful.

By Eric Nong