Director Bui Thac Chuyen:

For the first time, a film about the revolutionary war has grossed nearly 150 billion VND. For director Bui Thac Chuyen, his 11-year dream of making a film about the tunnels has come true, and he is even happier with the widespread support from the audience. The success of "Tunnels: The Sun in the Darkness" also opens up new hopes for historical and revolutionary war films.

- Mr. Bui Thac Chuyen, I understand that from the very beginning when you were developing the script for the film "Tunnels: The Sun in the Darkness," you envisioned it as an action film?

- The film is structured like a disaster movie – a natural/human force threatens a group of people. Usually, people think of war films as depicting two opposing sides, with a winner and a loser. But with the structure of a disaster film, the characters must find ways to complete their mission and escape danger. In that context, I presented the story of a guerrilla team protecting an intelligence group in Cu Chi. The tunnels become a very prominent method to help the weaker side complete their mission. We know that the people of Cu Chi bravely fought against the powerful forces of the US military for many years. The question, "What is it about the tunnels that makes them so special?" was always on my mind. From the beginning, we wanted to offer the viewers that special aspect, to answer the question: What did the people do, how did they live and fight?

- This is also why many people believe that "The Tunnels: The Sun in the Darkness" lacks a main character and doesn't focus on honoring any individual hero.

- It's not entirely accurate to say the film lacks a main character, but here, we don't overemphasize human issues; instead, we delve into the methods and ways they defeated the enemy—applying people's war, mobilizing the strength of the entire population. The guerrillas, though not formally trained and lacking military expertise, possessed exceptional willpower, spirit, courage, and fighting methods. That's where the real excitement lies! The tunnels are a product of the people's ingenuity in resisting the enemy. The story of people's war within these tunnels is the key to our victory.

- I'm a little confused by the ending, and perhaps many viewers aren't used to you ending a film like that?

- I understand! They might think it's unclear, a bit rambling, and some might even imagine the ending to be a triumphant charge against the enemy... But the story of "Tunnels: The Sun in the Darkness" isn't like that! The guerrillas' goal was to hold their ground in the tunnels, and the enemy couldn't do anything to them, even though they mobilized all their strength to destroy them. The mission to protect the intelligence team was accomplished. At the end of the film, the two strongest members of the guerrilla team are still alive, meaning the force will be replenished and the fight will continue.

This is a film about people's war, and I didn't want to focus on any one character. All 21 members of that guerrilla team are heroes. Therefore, even at the end of the film, I didn't put the names of Thai Hoa, Quang Tuan, or Ho Thu Anh separately, but instead included them all in a single line of text. This was meant to imply that in people's war, everyone shared the same will and fighting spirit. Even the most ordinary people can accomplish extraordinary things. There are no individual heroes here. Everyone is a hero. They fought, won, survived, and sacrificed – it was natural when they voluntarily fought for a common goal.

- A war film that resonates with generations—in your opinion, what changes in mindset and approach do we need to make to create truly compelling works that don't need to be as extravagant as million-dollar foreign films?

- I don't think war films are inaccessible; it's just a matter of whether they're good or not, realistic or not. Making war films is very difficult! Because it's difficult, it's often considered fake and lacking authenticity. I made the film "Tunnels: The Sun in the Darkness" as a way to look back at history, to make history clearer. On the occasion of the 50th anniversary of national peace and reunification, I think we should have a reflection on the history of our ancestors to strengthen national pride. Those historical lessons still retain their value today in the process of building and developing the country. Lessons about people's war, mobilizing the strength of the entire nation, dividing forces into smaller units, and humane treatment that "touches the heart of the enemy"...

History is the identity of a nation. If we don't know who we are, aren't we ourselves becoming obscure, lacking identity and character? This film also speaks of one aspect of Vietnamese identity. That identity has helped the Vietnamese people survive throughout history. Why is that identity so strong and clearly manifested in Cu Chi? Because the Vietnamese people are incredibly adaptable and intelligent, finding simple, unexpected solutions to problems. Other films will undoubtedly address other aspects of Vietnamese identity. The more we discover such things, the more confident and stronger we will become.

Funding is important, but perspective is even more crucial. Everyone wishes they had $100 million to invest in a spectacular film like the American ones. But that film must have a Vietnamese perspective. I believe that within each of us lies a "foundation"!

- We would like to express our sincere gratitude to director Bui Thac Chuyen!

Source: https://hanoimoi.vn/dao-dien-bui-thac-chuyen-nhung-bai-hoc-lich-su-van-con-nguyen-gia-tri-700265.html