"The nameless eucalyptus tree" and unforgettable memories.

Under the masterful direction of People's Artist Nguyen Thanh Van and Pham Nhue Giang, the film "The Nameless Eucalyptus Tree" emerges as a melancholic symphony about fate, memories, and unspoken repressed feelings.

Scene from the film "The Nameless Eucalyptus Tree".

A poignant and touching love story during wartime.

Cine7 - Memories of Vietnamese Films, airing at 9:10 PM on Saturday, July 5th, 2025 on VTV3 - Vietnam Television, will introduce viewers to the iconic Vietnamese film from the 1990s, "The Nameless Eucalyptus Tree".

Published in 1994, the work not only recreates the brutality of war, but also reveals the dark corners of the human soul – where agonizing loneliness and painful loss still linger even in the rear, where there are no bombs falling or bullets flying.

"The Nameless Eucalyptus Tree" tells a poignant and moving love story set against the backdrop of the northern countryside during the fierce years of the war against America, realistically portrayed in an atmosphere of fervent "all for the front lines." The film focuses on the desire to live and the inner conflict of two lonely individuals: Bach Van, a widowed man and father of a fallen soldier, and Binh, a woman whose husband went away to fight and was later killed in action.

They "broke the rules" amidst the disapproval and criticism of the villagers. Through these two characters, the audience also sees a group of people on the home front who always looked towards and contributed to the revolution. Mr. Bach Van is depicted with his anxious waiting for news of his son on the battlefield, and his contributions in dismantling houses for the soldiers to use the planks for road construction. Ms. Binh is portrayed as a wife waiting for her husband who has gone to fight far away, yet still diligently carrying earth to build dikes...

Director and People's Artist Nguyen Thanh Van shared his thoughts about the film.

Although they had to leave their village, like "nameless eucalyptus trees" returning to their roots, their resilient spirit allowed them to overcome all hardships and live on through time. The strongest impression the film leaves is the raw yet bold nature of the characters' personalities and the intense yet profound nature of the situations.

The film won the Silver Lotus Award at the 11th Vietnam Film Festival in 1996. In addition, it also won other awards such as: Best Actress for Le Vy, Best Cinematography for Nguyen Duc Viet, Best Music for Pho Duc Phuong; the B Prize at the Vietnam Film Association in 1995; and the Bronze Torch Award at the Pyongyang International Film Festival in 1996.

Under the masterful direction of the duo Nguyen Thanh Van and Pham Nhue Giang, "The Nameless Eucalyptus Tree" emerges as a melancholic symphony about fate, memories, and unspoken repressed feelings. It's a film not just to watch, but also to feel, to contemplate, and to remember forever.

Meritorious Artist Lê Vi continued acting in films despite being pregnant.

Sharing his thoughts at Cine 7 - Memories of Vietnamese Films, Director and People's Artist Nguyen Thanh Van stated that the image of the eucalyptus tree is similar to the lives depicted in the film. Eucalyptus trees can thrive in the driest, most rocky places – where other trees cannot survive; few people pay attention to the eucalyptus tree, it is hidden somewhere in life. This image is a metaphor for the people who contributed to the war, silently and discreetly, not honored as heroes. They are hidden, they are anonymous, but they are indispensable in the fight to repel the invading enemy.

People's Artist Pham Nhue Giang shared this in the program Cine7 - Memories of Vietnamese Films.

The fates of people like Mr. Bach Van or Ms. Binh were very common in the rural society of northern Vietnam during the war. These were the fates of women on the home front, and men whose sons went to war and died. These were people who silently dedicated themselves to the cause.

Director and People's Artist Nguyen Thanh Van added that when filming, Meritorious Artist Le Vy was pregnant. When filming extended, Le Vy had to carry her pregnant belly to the set to shoot additional scenes. The film crew had to carefully choose camera angles and skillfully stage the scenes to conceal her pregnancy. Even before the film crew knew Le Vy was pregnant, when there was a scene involving carrying heavy earth, the director suggested a body double, but she refused and wanted to perform the scene herself, which deeply moved the entire film crew.

While in "A Fairy Tale for 17-Year-Olds," Meritorious Artist Lê Vy only hinted at her potential, in this film, she truly blossomed, reaching a mature level in her acting – a role that can be placed on par with Duyên, played by her talented older sister, Meritorious Artist Lê Vân. Lê Vy's character, Bình, is unlike the typical submissive women; she is strong, straightforward, and ready to confront social prejudices, even breaking away from the past to leave her old village with Mr. Vân and embark on a new journey. Lê Vy's powerful gaze, combined with Hồng Sơn's understated yet profound performance, created one of the most authentic, beautiful, and emotionally rich rural couples on Vietnamese television.

THANH THAO

Source: https://nhandan.vn/cay-bach-dan-vo-danh-va-nhung-ky-uc-kho-quen-post891763.html