Some months back, stunt professional and actress Maryline Vo confided in me about her plans to direct her first action comedy short film. Those plans have since come into fruition with Vo teaming up with co-helmer Virak Thun, with Vo and actor Romain Bloch sharing the screen for Lost In Spice, which debuted on Monday.
At three minutes, you get the story of a man who walks into a restaurant/bar and once seated, is challenged to taste Dragon Breath chili-flavored Chinese ramen. The movie soon transports you ringside as the man is left fighting for his life against in an opponent in the form of Vo, as he gets thrashed, noogied, and laid waste to in short order, before waking up.
Here’s more from Vo about the project:
Through this film, I wanted to explore the theme of anger—not as a raw outburst, but as a profound reaction to the invisible tensions that shape us. The protagonist’s anger stems from social pressure, from a desire to conform and to please others at any cost—to the point of losing control over his own choices.
Pushed to his breaking point, he undergoes an intense physical and emotional ordeal, where every fall, every movement, becomes a means of expressing this inner struggle. Through this trial, he discovers that this anger can also be a force for self-transcendence, enabling him to reconnect with himself and reclaim control of his life.
The scenes that occur afterward escalate things just a little more. It was a whimsical and hilarious bookend to a delightful little gem of an indie action project that I found myself waking up to and watching at 5am in the morning while still in bed. Totally worth it, and the action was shot and performed really well, which I thought was an absolute plus for Vo in her first shortfilm directing gig.
Enjoy Lost In Spice below!
