Shot on iPhone x tlinh “Don’t Make it Complicated”

In celebration of Vietnam’s lunar new year, Tết, Apple launches its first piece of original work from the brand in Vietnam, Shot on iPhone 15 Pro. Starring fast-rising rapper, singer-songwriter and dancer from Hanoi, tlinh (@lf.tlinh), “Don’t Make it Complicated,” is a brand new, never-before-heard track from tlinh.

The film celebrates the Year of the Dragon with an empowering story about finding the strength to overcome your inner struggles, attributes found in the zodiac sign of the Dragon and tlinh, who was also born in the year of the dragon.

Gritty, powerful visuals are brought to life by Vietnamese-American filmmaker and director, Bảo Nguyễn. Bảo leverages the cinematic features of iPhone - 5x optical zoom, advanced stabilization of Action Mode, and Cinematic Mode — to artfully tell the story and capture gritty street scenes scenes, fast-paced action shots, and intricate details of incredible costumes. Much of the film is shot in low-light conditions on the streets of Ho Chi Minh City.

“Storytelling and aesthetic cinematography, they all come hand in hand. Shooting on the iPhone helps create this new cinematic language.” Bảo Nguyễn, Director.

To further demonstrate the cinematic power of iPhone 15 Pro, Apple tapped local creators from tlinh’s crew (The Last Fire Crew) and her local creator network, Phương Vũ (@lf.pvnirvana), Lâm Đạo Đạo (@lamdaodao) and Trần Thế Thể Thiện (@tigrebia). These creators in their own right collaborated with Bảo and tlinh to capture bespoke behind-the-scenes content and showcase the incredible features of iPhone 15 Pro such as 5x Optical zoom, cinematic mode and action mode.

In “Don’t Make it Complicated,” tlinh plays a school girl who is heartbroken when she thinks she see’s her boyfriend spending time with another girl. Overflowing with jealousy and rage, she escapes into the city and encounters the inner war of her own two sides: evil and good. The two sides battle it out, until eventually it’s tlinh in whole human form, a combination of both her sides, who ultimately emerges. As she reunites with her boyfriend she realizes perhaps the enemy had been herself all along. At the end of the film we are reminded that love and life is complicated, neither all good, nor all bad, As she walks the school halls we see a hint that perhaps a little of both good and bad still exist within her.. The film aims to empower and inspire the younger generation of Vietnamese to find the strength within themselves, no matter how complicated their struggles.

tlinh is a major force in Vietnam’s emergent pop music scene. The Hanoi-born 23-year-old has been pushing against outdated social views on women and unapologetically embracing her femininity in refreshing ways. No stranger to controversy she says this film speaks to her own conflicts and challenges, but also the strength she has inside her.

“Don’t Make it Complicated” will premiere on @apple Vietnam YouTube, and will be supported by broadcast, social and digital. The campaign includes Behind The Scenes footage and teaching videos on social media supported by the creators.