That day, it was raining in Da Lat, a light shower seemed to make the city of thousands of flowers seem sadder and more poetic. In that scene and weather, suddenly the room on the 2nd floor of the Da Lat Composer House gently echoed the quiet melodies of a classical piece, the music coming from a piano.
Everyone in the room seemed to stop all activities, all conversations, all eyes turned towards the source of the piano sound. People's Artist Pham Nhue Giang was sitting next to the piano. She seemed to be concentrating all her thoughts on the fingers that were running over the keys.
I listened and recognized the familiar melody of Polonais by Michał Kleofas Ogiński. He is one of the outstanding Polish composers of the Classical music period. This morning, suddenly hearing it in the "early winter cold" scene in the land of cherry blossoms moved not only me but everyone.
I waited until People's Artist Pham Nhue Giang finished playing the piece before I approached her to ask her questions. It turned out that Pham Nhue Giang was sent to the Vietnam Music School by her father, Director - People's Artist Pham Van Khoa, since she was young. She said: "I studied Piano for 9 years. In the same class as People's Artist Dang Thai Son". Hearing her say that, I was surprised: "Why didn't you continue studying? If you had continued studying, you would definitely have become a famous Piano artist".
Director - People's Artist Pham Nhue Giang shook her head, as if she wanted to say that there might not be any famous artists and there might be. I quickly added: "Maybe at that time you were determined to follow your father's film career so you stopped studying music?". Another slight shake of the head. I was a bit worried. Pham Nhue Giang said: "I am the youngest child in the family so my parents are a bit indulgent. The proof is that they did not force me to follow the profession but let me choose for myself". It is known that there is one thing that Pham Nhue Giang did not choose for herself but was chosen by her parents, that is her name. Although born in Hoan Kiem district, Hanoi , her mother, artist Nguyen Thi Bich Chau, an actress of the Central Drama Troupe, spent her childhood in Ha Dong near the Nhue River, so she named her daughter Nhue Giang.
After finishing high school, Pham Nhue Giang took the university entrance exam. What “no one expected” was that she did not take the entrance exam to the Film School as everyone thought, but she took the entrance exam to the University of Construction. Instead of “dancing” her slender fingers on the piano keys, her hands were exposed to work that only men and boys would pursue.
After 5 years of studying construction (1975 - 1980), construction engineer Pham Nhue Giang graduated and worked at Hanoi Construction Company No. 1. The first construction site that engineer Pham Nhue Giang participated in was the construction site of the Vietnam-Soviet Friendship Cultural Palace. Pham Nhue Giang said: "I worked there for 2 years and then stopped."
It was thought that she would stop working in dusty construction sites, which was not suitable for women, but it turned out to be wrong. Pham Nhue Giang then "followed her father's footsteps" and entered the Hanoi University of Theatre and Cinema, studying at the Faculty of Cinema, majoring in Directing (That was the first film directing course of the school). After another 5 years of "studying hard" from 1982 to 1987, people who loved the 7th art knew her name: Director Pham Nhue Giang, when she came to work at the Vietnam Feature Film Studio.
Director - People's Artist Pham Nhue Giang said: "After graduating, I was not able to become the main director right away. I had to be an assistant director for 3 films before I was officially promoted to main director. Luckily for Pham Nhue Giang, she was an assistant director for Director Dang Nhat Minh. She confided: "I learned a lot from Director Dang Nhat Minh and his films."
The first film that Pham Nhue Giang directed was “Escape”. This film was adapted by her from the short story of the same name by poet Phan Thi Thanh Nhan. Joy came to her immediately when the film “Escape” won the B prize of the Vietnam Cinema Association Award in 1996 and the Jury Award at the 12th Vietnam Film Festival.
She said: “After finishing the film “Escape”, I intended to continue adapting the short story “Mother’s Soul”, but the plot was too short, there were not many details for the screenwriters to develop further, so many screenwriters refused to adapt this short story”. “And you completed the film script yourself?” Director – People’s Artist Pham Nhue Giang nodded. The 2011 film “Mother’s Soul” was highly appreciated and actress Phung Hoa Hoai Linh in the role of Thu received the Best Actress award at the International Film Festival in Dubai.
I joked: “It seems that you are very good at writing your own scripts.” The woman born in the year of the Rooster nodded in confirmation. But the film “Deserted Valley” produced in 2001 was the film that marked a turning point in her directing career. The film won the Silver Lotus Award at the 13th National Film Festival and the B Prize (no A Prize) from the Vietnam Cinema Association. This film also won her the “Mai Vang” Award from the Ho Chi Minh City “Nguoi Lao Dong” newspaper and the International Federation of Journalists (FIPRESSCI) Award at the Melbourne International Film Festival (Australia) for young Asian directors.
The film “Deserted Valley” is a touching story about the lives of teachers in remote mountainous areas. Two young female teachers and a dedicated man teach poor children in a school in the high mountains of Ta Giang Phinh, with only two classrooms. But then, all the conflicts, conflicts, love, anger, waiting and despair happened in the space of a seemingly deserted, peaceful valley. But “immersed” in “Deserted Valley” are hearts yearning for love.
I joked: “I heard that you are very good at selecting actors, especially non-professional actors. They have performed very successfully in the films you directed.” Director – People’s Artist Pham Nhue Giang said: “This film also brought actress Hong Anh the “Best Actress” award for the female lead role and the “Best Cinematography” award for Cinematographer Ly Thai Dung.”
Director – People’s Artist Pham Nhue Giang retired in 2015. She continues to contribute to the 7th art by teaching at the Hanoi Academy of Theatre and Cinema. She is sometimes a judge at film festivals, as well as a screenwriter and television director.
Director – People's Artist Pham Nhue Giang received the title of "Meritorious Artist" in 2007 and "People's Artist" in 2015. In 2017, she received the "State Prize for Literature and Arts".
The day before returning to Hanoi, I met Director – People’s Artist Pham Nhue Giang and asked her to play the piano. Of course, the request was still to play the famous Polonais. Director – People’s Artist Pham Nhue Giang was very happy, she sat down next to the piano, her fingers glided over the strings. The gentle and poignant melody filled with nostalgia for her homeland rang out.
Source: https://daidoanket.vn/chot-nghe-nsnd-pham-nhue-giang-choi-dan-10295112.html
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