Pham Gia Han plays Thuy, an orphan who sells flowers along Ho Chi Minh City’s streets and at the zoo, in “Owl and the Sparrow.”

In a fairy tale that began before the movie, a local girl with no acting experience won the lead role in this year’s big indie hit completely by accident.

The film reveals daily life on the backstreets of feverish Ho Chi Minh City, a blooming metropolis that sets a colorful backdrop as Han’s Thuy, an orphan who runs away from her draconian uncle’s bamboo factory, finds her own way through a world of both despair and hope.

Director Stephane Gauger, born in Vietnam in 1970 to a Vietnamese mother and a French-American father, said it was Han’s natural unaffectedness that made her his first choice over a slew of other options.

Gauger said he wanted to cast a real flower girl at first, but he thought the role’s spectrum of emotions might be too much to handle for a non-actor. Then he met Han.

He said a lot of smart, fresh-faced and experienced girls auditioned, but that it was Han’s “natural” look he needed. Gauger, who left Vietnam for the US in 1975, said he didn’t want his orphan to be “too cute.”

Han said she quickly felt a profound connection with Thuy while shooting.

“I had real sympathy and interest in the character. She is intuitive, smart, stubborn and innocent. I just wanted to figure her out as much as I could,” said Han.

The young actress said she got to “know” the character very well.

“After 15 days of shooting, I thought I was Thuy, not Han anymore.”

In the film, the orphan Thuy begins her life anew selling flowers on the street after fleeing from her domineering uncle. She soon meets and befriends Hai, a zookeeper she calls “the owl” for his sage-like qualities. She also befriends Lan, a lonely flight attendant, whom she calls “the sparrow” for her ability to bring joy to others.

Of course, Thuy introduces the two lonely souls and the hope of love enters their lives.

Vietnamese American film blogger Thai Anh said, “I actually think Thuy is the sparrow because she’s the sweet tie that binds the two hearts. Both Hai and Lan are mesmerized by Thuy’s clear-eyed view, which helps them break free from their stubborn ways.”

A review of the film on SF Gate, the San Francisco Chronicle’s online edition, praised Han: “The young girl who plays Thuy, the anchor of the story, is especially striking. In casting Pham Thi Han (sic), who had no previous acting experience, Gauger said that he ‘got really lucky.’”

The Los Angeles Times did not hold back its admiration of Han either: “The film’s gift is 10-year-old Han, a captivating child blessed with deep, searching eyes and a remarkable ease in front of the camera. Watching her absorb disappointments as Thuy, and there are more than a few, remind you of how stoic and pragmatic children can be.”

Family matters

Han’s parents are reassuring and supportive of their young daughter as she steps into the international spotlight.

“When she told me she got the part, I was very happy. I just encouraged her to do her best,” said Han’s mother, Pham Thi Binh, a gym teacher at District 4 Children’s Center.

Binh said her daughter is amiable, subtle, painstaking and a little bit more grownup than most at her age. She added that despite Han’s incorrect billing on the film’s credit list, her daughter’s name is in fact Pham Gia Han, not Pham Thi Han as it is commonly misrepresented.

“Our family was surprised when Han won the award. It is an honor. But we have no plans for her future career, it’s up to her. If she really wants to pursue her performing career, our family will support her whole-heartedly,” said Binh.

But even after stardom, the young girl is determined to stay focused on the other important aspects of her life.

“I’m thrilled by acting, but I still want to finish school for my future. I’ll take roles that are suitable for me and don’t interfere with school,” said Han.

Alongside her studies at Kien Thiet High School in HCMC’s District 3, Han is now also acting in a short film directed by graduate student Dao Thi Tho.

Reported by Kim