Diva
by Nicolas Cilins
Berlinale Forum 2022
In Competition 2022
Official synopsis
Diva Cat Thy is a transwoman who sells noodles on the streets of Saigon, Vietnam. She posts videos everyday on social media. The film is made out of this found footage, and entangles her story with the ones of the filmmaker and the translator.
In partnership with
The programmer’s eye
“Diva” is the work of a “held up” artist. Trapped by lockdown, Nicolas Cilins was unable to meet Diva Cat Thy. Luckily, the latter is a star of social networks in her country. The artist's gesture therefore consists in gleaning images from Diva's virtual life to draw a 2.0 portrait, between a reflection on the status of artists during the pandemic and a homage to Vietnamese queer culture. “Diva” offers an original and unexpected look at transidentity in Vietnam, as well as a fascinating reflection on artistic creation in times of pandemic.
Hugo Terrier
Biography and Filmography
Nicolas Cilins was born in France in 1985, and currently lives and works in Geneva. His artistic projects are at the crossroads of several disciplines: visual arts, cinema and performance. They are part of public collections such as the Kunstmuseum Bern in Switzerland, the FRAC Poitou-Charentes and the Arsenal in Berlin. In 2018, Nicolas Cilins won a prize at the Swiss Art Awards.
2022 : DIVA (SHORT) - Nicolas Cilins - Director and Screenwriter
2020 : THE WAY WE WALK (SHORT) - Nicolas Cilins - Director and Screenwriter
2020 : KAREN (SHORT) - Nicolas Cilins - Director and Screenwriter
2018 : MARABOUT (SHORT) - Nicolas Cilins - Director
2016 : BRICOFUTUR (SHORT) - Nicolas Cilins - Director and Screenwriter
2015 : GINEVA (SHORT) - Nicolas Cilins - Director and Screenwriter
2013 : STALIN’S WORLD (SHORT) - Nicolas Cilins - Director
2012 : MOROCCAN ARCHAEOLOGIES (SHORT) - Nicolas Cilins - Director and Screenwriter
Nicolas Cilins
Diva Cat Thy, Miss Tien Giang, Sim Let…
Apparatus
Apparatus
by Nicolas Cilins
Nicolas Cilins was born in France in 1985, and currently lives and works in Geneva. His artistic projects are at the crossroads of several disciplines: visual arts, cinema and performance. They are part of public collections such as the Kunstmuseum Bern in Switzerland, the FRAC Poitou-Charentes and the Arsenal in Berlin. In 2018, Nicolas Cilins won a prize at the Swiss Art Awards.
2022 : DIVA (SHORT) - Nicolas Cilins - Director and Screenwriter
2020 : THE WAY WE WALK (SHORT) - Nicolas Cilins - Director and Screenwriter
2020 : KAREN (SHORT) - Nicolas Cilins - Director and Screenwriter
2018 : MARABOUT (SHORT) - Nicolas Cilins - Director
2016 : BRICOFUTUR (SHORT) - Nicolas Cilins - Director and Screenwriter
2015 : GINEVA (SHORT) - Nicolas Cilins - Director and Screenwriter
2013 : STALIN’S WORLD (SHORT) - Nicolas Cilins - Director
2012 : MOROCCAN ARCHAEOLOGIES (SHORT) - Nicolas Cilins - Director and Screenwriter