Program Note
Tran Long, an influencer who runs an internet broadcasting channel called “Memory of Murder”, infiltrates actual crime scenes to reveal three murder stories to his subscribers. The stories revolve around men who have committed heinous crimes, including a man who murdered not only his beloved woman, but also his parents, a man who infiltrated a family-run jewelry store and killed the entire household, and a man who, trapped in gambling debt, who sought help from his ex-girlfriend but was rejected, leading him to commit murder. The narrative unfolds, traversing the boundary between internet broadcasting and reality. Opening with a subtitle declares that it is based on true events, Rock-a-bye Baby showcases a disturbing level of violence, using murder cases involving psychologically twisted men as alibis. Reflecting the social landscape of contemporary society, saturated with social media and internet broadcasting, the film provides a hint of critical satire towards the modern media environment, where even brutal violence can be consumed as sensational entertainment, alongside the allure of the gore genre. This is the latest work by Vietnamese director Le Binh Giang, who previously showcased his film KFC at BIFAN 2017. (CHO Jaewhee)