More often than not, videos about Hanoi focus on the dynamically frenetic city streets, leaving anywhere with a state of stillness overlooked: namely, hidden nooks in the capital's numerous lakes and parks.
Vimeo user Rafa Zubiria pays his dues to this other, intimate side of the city in a short video called Light Wind Land. He explores the misty reaches of Hanoi’s lakes and parks to a soundtrack of calming windchimes.
Long shots inspire the viewer to reflect on what could otherwise be mundane: a glance in the mirror after a haircut, a man stretching near the river, and a woman walking through a misty park. These small moments take on a new rhythm and, at times, an otherworldly charm.
A levitating mirror adds a hint of magical realism, before a rare sight of white horses trotting through a parkland. Faded park rides add an element of urban decay, until we finally arrive at a somewhat voyeuristic closing sequence on banana island, otherwise known as Bai Giua.
Check it out below:
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[Video via Vimeo user Rafa Zubiria]
