The Scent of Green Papaya (1993)
Kernel Score: 76% · 211 ratings · Rated NR
Genres: Drama, Romance
Released: 1993-06-08
Runtime: 104 minutes
Where to watch The Scent of Green Papaya
- Stream: Kanopy, Kino Film Collection
- Free with ads: Kanopy, Hoopla
- Rent: Prime Video, Apple TV, Google Play, YouTube
- Buy: Prime Video, Apple TV, Google Play, YouTube
US availability, updated 2026-10-23.
Overview
1950s Saigon through the eyes of Mui, a Vietnamese servant girl. At 10 years-old, Mui leaves her village to work for an affluent, troubled family. As she comes of age, Mui finds work in the household of a pianist she has admired since childhood, and finds their relationship growing in complexity.
The Scent of Green Papaya parents' guide: ages 11+
Parents need to know that The Scent of Green Papaya is an unrated Vietnamese drama following a servant girl's coming of age, including adultery and animal abuse themes.
- Violence & scariness: A little — Includes a scene reflecting animal abuse referenced among the film's keywords.
- Sex, romance & nudity: Some — The story involves an adultery subplot within the household the young heroine serves.
Fresh Kernels AI-assessed from the official NR rating, publicly documented content. A guide for families, not an official rating.
Movies like The Scent of Green Papaya
If you liked The Scent of Green Papaya, these are the movies we'd watch next.
- The Bridges of Madison County (1995) — 86%
- Purple Hearts (2022) — 91%
- Life in a Year (2020) — 90%
- Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans (1927) — 88%
- Jules and Jim (1962) — 85%
- The Lover (1992) — 77%
- Detachment (2011) — 85%
- The Roundup 2 (2022) — 81%
Director
Trần Anh Hùng
Cast
- Trần Nữ Yên Khê as Mui
- Man San Lu as Young Mui
- Thi Loc Truong as Mother
- Ánh Hoa as Old Woman
- Hoa Hoi Vuong as Khuyen
- Ngoc Trung Tran as Father
- Vantha Talisman as Thu
- Keo Souvannavong as Trung
- Van Oanh Nguyen as Mr. Thuan
- Gerard Neth as Tin
The Scent of Green Papaya FAQ
Is The Scent of Green Papaya good?
The Scent of Green Papaya has a 76% Kernel Score on Fresh Kernels from 211 audience ratings.
Where can I watch The Scent of Green Papaya?
In the US you can stream The Scent of Green Papaya on Kanopy and Kino Film Collection, watch it free with ads on Kanopy and Hoopla and rent it from Prime Video, Apple TV, Google Play and YouTube.
Is The Scent of Green Papaya OK for kids?
The Scent of Green Papaya is rated NR. Fresh Kernels suggests ages 11+. Parents need to know that The Scent of Green Papaya is an unrated Vietnamese drama following a servant girl's coming of age, including adultery and animal abuse themes.
What movies are like The Scent of Green Papaya?
If you liked The Scent of Green Papaya, try The Bridges of Madison County, Purple Hearts, Life in a Year and Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans.