They Call Me The Tattoo Witch is a documentary short about Tran Ngoc, a Hanoi-based tattoo artist who transforms scars into symbols of empowerment. In a society where tattoos are heavily stigmatized, especially for women, Ngoc has faced judgment and isolation. Still, she remains committed to her clients and to her belief in the healing power of tattoos.
Unlike most artists, Ngoc works with scarred skin, a process that demands both technical skill and emotional sensitivity. Her clients come from across Vietnam and abroad, seeking more than just body art. They come to reclaim their bodies and rewrite their stories. Ngoc’s designs do not hide scars; they honor and transform them.
The film follows three clients: a schoolteacher returning years later to share her healing journey, a woman reclaiming her body after breast cancer, and a young woman with self-harm scars who finds peace through her tattoo.
Shot in Hanoi with a local, all-female crew, the film captures moments of connection and transformation. It is a story about finding beauty in what has been broken, and how healing often begins with the care and compassion of others.
