This short film reflects the traditional practice of local fishermen from Phan Thiết and Mũi Né, two coastal fishing communities in southern Vietnam, as they prepare for and participate in the annual dragon boat race in Phan Thiết, competing against neighboring villages. Created in collaboration with community members and children, the film highlights how this vibrant cultural event serves not only as a thrilling athletic competition, but as a powerful expression of coastal identity, intergenerational knowledge, and communal pride.

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Rooted in centuries-old Vietnamese traditions, dragon boat racing has long been tied to spiritual beliefs, seasonal cycles, and village resilience. The races are a way for communities to come together, celebrate ancestral ties to water, and strengthen social bonds—especially in regions increasingly impacted by environmental change and modernization.

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Supported by a Fulbright–National Geographic Storytelling Fellowship, the film blends participatory visual anthropology with local storytelling to capture how this marine heritage practice continues to shape community life and rural transformation. Co-created with youth, it offers an intimate, place-based lens on how ritual, rhythm, and paddles connect the past to the future.