Untold story about the movie 'Guava Season': Director invited former VTV General Director to participate

Few people expected that the role of the intellectual lawyer in Guava Season was "chosen" by director Dang Nhat Minh to be played by a non-industry figure - the former General Director of VTV.

In the program Cine 7 - Memories of Vietnamese Films, the audience enjoyed the poetic and nostalgic film "Guava Season" by director, People's Artist Dang Nhat Minh. The film was adapted from the short story The old house Composed by himself, published in Literature Magazine in 1993.

Unforgettable memories of People's Artist Bui Bai Binh and People's Artist Lan Huong

In the film, People's Artist Bui Bai Binh plays the role of Hoa - the main character. He emotionally recalls: " When I was a student at the Film School in 1973, my teacher - Ms. Phi Nga - once said: To do art, three factors are needed: talent, work and opportunity. I am grateful to director Dang Nhat Minh for giving me that opportunity, so that I could have the role of Hoa".

The male artist said that he and the prototype of the character Hoa - Mr. Hoan, the brother-in-law of director Dang Nhat Minh - have a special relationship. “ Back then, my family opened a small coffee shop on To Hien Thanh Street. Mr. Hoan often came to drink coffee, his eyes were clear, always smiling as he looked out onto the street. He also arranged flowers very beautifully. Later, when I learned that 'Guava Season' was adapted from the story 'Old House', I knew for sure that the character Hoa was Mr. Hoan.”

People's Artist Bui Bai Binh plays the role of Hoa in the movie "Guava Season".

Sharing about how to transform into the character Hoa - a man in his 40s or 50s but whose soul is stuck at the age of 13, People's Artist Bui Bai Binh said he spent a lot of time observing and interacting with the prototype to find the subtlety in acting.

“Mr. Hoa’s eyes must be as clear as a child’s. He is very considerate of his neighbors, careful and clean. His clothes are always neat, to the point that when he goes to get his salary, if he finds a torn bill, he must exchange it for another one.”

Regarding the character's voiceover, People's Artist Bui Bai Binh revealed: “I rarely get to do my own voice-over when I act in films, but in this film the director said: 'I like your voice, just do it'. That's something special."

As for People's Artist Lan Huong, Guava season is a career milestone. Coming from a theater background, she was very afraid of the camera and did not think she would be chosen for the role of Thuy - Hoa's younger sister.

"Before filming "Guava Season", I was extremely afraid of the camera. From the day I started filming until the day I finished, I barely spoke to Minh. I did whatever he told me to do. Every time I hear 'machine running', I have to take a deep breath" – she said.

Mention the movie Guava season and director People's Artist Dang Nhat Minh, People's Artist Lan Huong always has special respect. She said that there were scenes that were only a few seconds long, but because she felt unsatisfied, she proactively asked to re-shoot them.

People's Artist Lan Huong shares memories of playing the role of Thuy in the movie.

A typical example is the scene where the character Thuy (played by her) quietly takes a guava from her brother's pocket - the character Hoa (played by People's Artist Bui Bai Binh) and silently looks around the room full of memories of her late father. Beautiful memories seem to rise in the character's eyes.

To fully express that emotion, People's Artist Lan Huong asked to act again, and director Dang Nhat Minh agreed. She believes that it is the meticulousness in each scene that shapes her lifelong career philosophy: “If you don't do it, then don't do it. If you do it, do it as best you can.

Behind the scenes story revealed for the first time

The movie is called Guava season but filmed in winter – when it was impossible to find a real guava tree. The film crew could only buy a guava tree trunk about 3-4m high, then grafted leaves and fruit on every day. Because the fruit was out of season and still green, the team of artists had to use paint to create the characteristic yellow color in the film. A small step but full of passion for the authenticity of each frame.

Director Dang Nhat Minh shared: “The detail of the younger sister discovering a guava in her brother’s pocket is Mr. Hoa’s memory, making the audience understand that he climbed the tree to pick the guava. In the final scene when the guava tree was cut down, many viewers felt sad because they saw their childhood memories being cut down. I want to awaken everyone to cherish those memories.”

Few people know that the lawyer character in the film is played by journalist Pham Khac Lam, former General Director and Editor-in-Chief of Vietnam Television.

Few people know that the person playing the role of the lawyer - Hoa and Thuy's father - is not a professional actor, but journalist Pham Khac Lam, former General Director and Editor-in-Chief of Vietnam Television.

When director Dang Nhat Minh came to invite him, he smiled and said: “I have never acted in a movie, but anything others can do, I can do too.” His intellectual qualities are what directors are always looking for.

Source: https://baolangson.vn/chuyen-chua-ke-ve-phim-mua-oi-dao-dien-moi-nguyen-tong-giam-doc-vtv-tham-gia-5050917.html