'Chrysalis' Wins Five Honors at Los Angeles Tribune International Film Festival Ahead of Vietnam Theatrical Release

At nine, Vietnamese actor Uy Nhan became LATIFF's inaugural Best Child Actor and one of the youngest documented Vietnamese recipients of a U.S. film-festival acting award.

LOS ANGELES, Aug. 18, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- WS Productions announced today that "Chrysalis" received five honors at the 2026 Los Angeles Tribune International Film Festival: Best Feature Film, Best Director for J. Robert Schulz, Best Actress for Kieu Chinh, Best Child Actor for nine-year-old Vietnamese actor Uy Nhan, and Best Orchestral Score for Motion Picture for "Chrysalis," composed by Elia Cmiral. The awards were presented Sunday, Aug. 16, at the Culver Theater in Culver City, California.

Uy Nhan received LATIFF's inaugural Best Child Actor award for his performance as Cu Đen, the young Daniel in "Chrysalis." Festival co-founder and president Dr. Emily Letran plans to travel to Vietnam to present the award to him. The film opens nationwide in Vietnam on Sept. 11 through CJ CGV Vietnam.

DR. EMILY LETRAN, LATIFF CO-FOUNDER AND PRESIDENT: "Uy Nhan is only nine, but his performance had remarkable depth and presence. We are proud to name him the first recipient of LATIFF's Best Child Actor award, and I look forward to presenting it to him in Vietnam."

The LATIFF awards followed the film's 2026 market debut at the Marché du Film in Cannes and its selection as one of 13 titles in DANAFF IV's Asian Competition. At DANAFF, Kieu Chinh received the Screen Excellence Merit Award for a career spanning nearly seven decades and more than 100 roles.

Inspired by artist Sir Daniel K. Winn's childhood in Vietnam, "Chrysalis" follows young Daniel's coming-of-age journey in 1975 Saigon and the bond with his grandmother, Bà Nội, that anchors the story. Kieu Chinh stars as Bà Nội. Uy Nhan portrays Daniel as a child, while Winn portrays himself in the present-day storyline.

SIR DANIEL K. WINN: "Watching Uy Nhan portray me as a child was deeply personal. He brought honesty and courage to the role far beyond his nine years. To see him recognized in Los Angeles, just before Vietnamese audiences can see the film, makes the honor especially meaningful."

Directed by J. Robert Schulz from a screenplay by Andrew Creme and based on a story by Winn, Randall J. Slavin and Schulz, the film also stars Samuel An, Lan Thy, Le Anh Huy, Tien Pham and Trinh Tu Trung. WS Productions produced the film. Its orchestral score was composed by Elia Cmiral. In Vietnam, the film will open as "Mãi Nợ Một Lời Tạm Biệt," rendered in English as "The Farewell I Never Gave." Its international title remains "Chrysalis."

ABOUT "CHRYSALIS"
"Chrysalis" is a U.S.-Vietnam family drama inspired by the early life of Vietnamese-American artist Sir Daniel K. Winn. It opens nationwide in Vietnam on Sept. 11, 2026, through CJ CGV Vietnam. Kieu Chinh, whose screen career spans nearly seven decades and more than 100 roles, stars as Bà Nội and received DANAFF IV's Screen Excellence Merit Award in 2026.

ABOUT THE LOS ANGELES TRIBUNE INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL
Founded by Los Angeles Tribune CEO Moe Rock and Dr. Emily Letran, LATIFF supports emerging filmmakers and diverse global storytelling. Its 2026 edition was held Aug. 14–16 at the Culver Theater in Culver City, California.

U.S. Media Contact for "Chrysalis":
Rick Krusky, MWPR Inc.
[email protected], 818.521.8294

SOURCE WS Productions