Lost in Paradise is a 2011 Vietnamese drama film directed by Vu Ngoc Dang. It tells the story of three friends, two men and one woman, who are struggling with love and relationships. The film explores themes of homosexuality, prostitution, and the search for identity and acceptance. It was critically acclaimed for its honest and raw portrayal of these themes, and was nominated for several awards, including the Caméra d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival.
Khoi, a naive twenty-year-old, travels to Ho Chi Minh City from the countryside to begin a new life. It's his first time in the big city and he's looking for a place to live. He befriends Dong, a handsome extrovert who offers to share his apartment. When Khoi goes to check the place out, he meets Lam, who also appears to be living there. Khoi decides to stay, but while he showers, Dong and Lam - who turn out to be boyfriends - run off with all his cash and belongings. It's not long before Lam is himself abandoned by Dong, and winds up back on the street as a prostitute. Meanwhile the penniless and disillusioned Khoi takes on menial jobs to survive. Lam and Khoi are eventually reunited, and despite Lam's past actions, the two become closer and closer - even though Khoi becomes more and more troubled by Lam's dangerous source of income. At the same time, Cuoi, a mentally handicapped man abandoned by his family, attempts to befriend a female prostitute. Her pimps do not take kindly to his hanging around and scaring away customers, but she takes pity on him and ultimately becomes his protector.
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