Blush of Fruit

Life and control inside a controversial orphanage in central Vietnam

Blush of Fruit takes place inside a modest three storey house in the coastal city of Nha Trang, in central Vietnam. The orphanage is run by Tong Phuoc Phuc, a man widely praised for his outspoken opposition to abortion and for offering shelter to women with unwanted pregnancies. Expectant mothers arrive at the house after hiding their condition from their families, persuaded to keep their babies with the promise of care and protection.

The house functions as a halfway space. In exchange for accommodation, the young women are required to look after the many small children who already live there, most of them under the age of three. The children call Tong Phuoc Phuc “Dad”, while the mothers refer to him as “Uncle”. Daily life unfolds within confined interiors filled with cribs, improvised play areas, and constant childcare. The women’s own aspirations are put on hold, their lives shaped by what they describe as the mistake of becoming pregnant without planning it.

Filmed from the eye level of the children, the documentary adopts a strict observational approach. Without commentary or music, the camera records moments of exhaustion, indifference, and occasional cruelty, as the overwhelmed caregivers struggle to manage the workload. Tong Phuoc Phuc appears only rarely, yet his authority permeates the space. Alongside public praise and government support, rumours circulate about neglect, mistreatment, and donations being diverted for personal gain. The film exposes how an initiative born from charity and idealism gradually reveals a far more troubling reality for both the mothers and the children.