Inside Chrysalis, the Vietnam-Set Drama Heading to Cannes Film Festival 2026
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A Coming-of-Age Drama Shaped by Memory, Art, and Survival
Chrysalis arrives at the Cannes Film Festival 2026 with a story rooted in memory, family loss, and artistic survival. The film follows Vietnamese-American artist Daniel Winn as he looks back on a childhood shaped by war-torn Saigon, a fractured home, and the emotional force of creating art. It is set to screen on May 17th, 2026 at 11:30 a.m. in the Palais des Festivals, Room D.
The film brings together a strong creative team and cast, including Sir Daniel Winn, director Jordan Robert Schulz, actors Kieu-Chinh and Samuel An, and producers Randall J. Slavin and Stephen David. Their presence throughout the festival gives the project a strong public-facing profile and makes the Cannes screening a key moment for the film.
A Story Rooted in Childhood
At the center of Chrysalis is Daniel’s childhood journey through fear, displacement, and loss. The story moves between his adult life as an artist and his younger self in 1970s Saigon, where he is known as Cu Den. The film focuses on his relationship with his grandmother, Ba Noi, his separation from family, and the role that drawing and sculpture play in helping him cope.
The film does not rely on spectacle. Instead, it focuses on emotional truth. Its subject is personal, but its themes are broad, including survival, belonging, identity, and the long effect of childhood trauma. That combination may appeal to Cannes audiences looking for films with both artistic ambition and human detail.
The Creative Team
Sir Daniel Winn’s background as a Vietnamese-American artist gives the film a direct personal link to the story it tells. Jordan Robert Schulz brings experience as a director and cinematographer, which suggests a visually controlled and deliberate style. With Kieu-Chinh and Samuel An in the cast, the film also draws on performers who can bring depth to a family story shaped by memory and conflict.
Randall J. Slavin and Stephen David as producers add further weight to the project. Their involvement signals a film designed not only for emotional impact, but also for strong positioning on the festival circuit. Cannes is an important place for a film like this, especially one that blends historical setting, personal history, and art.
Key Cast of Chrysalis
Ba Noi is Daniel’s devoted grandmother and his first source of unconditional love, a woman who keeps the family going through war, loss, and exhaustion while still making room for small moments of care and stability. Child Daniel, Nguyen Vu Uy Nhan, is bright, sensitive, artistic, and deeply curious, using drawing and sculpting as a way to build a world he can control, while his optimism and mischief help him survive hardship.
In the present day, Sir Daniel K. Winn has transformed that same drive into an international art career and philanthropic life, becoming known for his “Existential Surrealism” and his commitment to charity and human inquiry. Samuel An plays Daniel’s father, a highly educated man whose return becomes a turning point for the family as he helps rebuild their home and provides strength after years of absence.
Why Cannes Matters
A screening at Cannes gives Chrysalis a major platform in front of industry professionals, press, and international buyers. The May 17th, 2026 screening at 11:30 a.m. in Room D places it directly into one of the festival’s most visible environments.
For attendees, the film offers a chance to see a personal story told through both performance and visual art. It may stand out for viewers who want a drama that is intimate, culturally specific, and serious in tone. That is reason enough to attend.