Ha Le Diem was born in 1991 as a member of the Tay ethnic group from northern Viet Nam. At age 18, she left her hometown to study Journalism in Ha Noi. After discovering documentary film through a workshop, she decided to devote herself to this discipline.
In 2016, she joined an artist collective and organized filmmaking classes for Hmong children. There, she met Di, a twelve-year-old girl who became the main character of “Children of the Mist,” Diem’s first feature.
The film premiered at the International Documentary Festival Amsterdam 2021, where Diem won the Best Directing award. During its festival run, the film was invited to around 150 events and garnered 36 awards.
It was also shortlisted for Best Documentary Feature at the 95th Oscars. In the 1st Da Nang Asian Film Festival, “Children of the Mist” won the Grand Prize for the Best Film. “Children of the Mist” received its Vietnamese theatrical release in 2023, selling 36,000 tickets. Diễm is now making her second film, “Long Way North,” in northwestern Vietnam.
