3 times unfinished
In 2014, director Bui Thac Chuyen made a 10-minute 3D short film about the Cu Chi tunnels. Although it was just a small project, it sparked a big dream in him for a decade. In 2016, director Bui Thac Chuyen finished writing the script and began looking for opportunities to make the film Tunnels: Sun in the Dark . “After 3 preparations, there were times when I had money but still couldn’t make it. Perhaps, my aunts and uncles wanted me to make the film on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the country’s peaceful reunification . I just hope that the film will be a small contribution to the common joy of the whole country, to remind us of the blood and tears of the heroes who fell for that moment,” director Bui Thac Chuyen said.
Tunnels: The Sun in the Dark is a challenging film project, but it also brought miraculous luck to director Bui Thac Chuyen. He was fortunate to have former Cu Chi guerrillas as advisors, including People's Armed Forces Hero To Van Duc - the inspiration for the character Tu Dap (played by Quang Tuan). For many days, he followed this 83-year-old hero closely, listening to stories from the past. And during that long time, he also ate, slept, and talked with many living witnesses of the Land of Steel and Copper. Absorbing and absorbing, the pages of the script Tunnels: The Sun in the Dark gradually took shape.
Director Bui Thac Chuyen revealed an interesting detail: Tunnels: Sun in the Dark used war documentary films purchased from the Americans, but were recorded by the Liberation Film Studio's own cameramen. When the American soldiers swept through, they took these films back to the US to print and develop. "I had to buy them back from abroad, even though they were films shot by Vietnamese people - a very strange thing," said director Bui Thac Chuyen. Affirming that Tunnels: Sun in the Dark is a fictional story, from the characters to the script, director Bui Thac Chuyen also shared: "Although fictional, I still rely on real details and stories. I always hope that the film will be as truthful as possible, even like a documentary."
Living and making films like… guerilla soldiers
When choosing actors, director Bui Thac Chuyen set out the criteria: suitable for the character, no plastic surgery, passion, time, and ability to withstand harsh conditions. This criterion applies to both main and supporting roles. Actor Quang Tuan said he had to lose more than 10kg for the role. Ho Thu Anh (playing Ba Huong) spent months waking up at 5am to practice swimming, diving, breathing underwater, and physical training. Hang Lamoon (playing Ut Kho) cried many times because she always ranked last in the tests. They are just three of dozens of actors in Tunnels: Sun in the Dark who had to overcome harsh challenges: losing weight, training under the sun of the training ground, but still had to ensure their health throughout more than 2 months of arduous filming.
During more than 2 months of filming, from the beginning, the director asked the actors not to run to other shows. Director Bui Thac Chuyen emphasized: “I told you to think that we are making a film with a gesture of respect for those who sacrificed. We are making it to commemorate them, so we cannot consider it a normal film, there must be respect in it. The characters you play, most of them have sacrificed, so we must think of what we do as burning incense to commemorate them. All the actors understand and devote themselves to the film.”
Before making Tunnels: Sun in the Dark, director Bui Thac Chuyen and his crew were confused about what to do, because there was no film about Cu Chi Tunnels to refer to. Filming in a narrow space was a big challenge, and there were no cameras on the market that met the requirements. He decided to shoot entirely by hand, recreating the perspective of the people in the war. At first, the frame shook so much that it was unusable, forcing the filming crew to spend a month practicing to adapt to the way of moving, as well as to withstand the high intensity of work. With a normal film, the crews would work together at the same time. But with Tunnels: Sun in the Dark, the time had to be multiplied by 6, each crew, who entered first, who entered later, all had to be carefully calculated before filming. Because many heavy weapons were mobilized such as: M-48 Patton tanks, M113ACAV armored vehicles, UH-1 Iroquois helicopters, PCF (Patrol Craft Fast) riverboats, LCM-8 small landing craft..., coordinating their control during filming was an even greater challenge.
For director Bui Thac Chuyen, the biggest worry when making Tunnels: Sun in the Dark is the feeling that the film is not perfect, not complete enough, just a small mistake can ruin everything. Therefore, all efforts must be maintained until the last minute. After all, what helps the crew stand firmly on their feet is the spirit of those who sacrificed for this land. Difficulties follow difficulties, but he and the crew never thought of giving up. Because, if compared to the difficulties and hardships of the Cu Chi guerrillas in the past, it is nothing. Difficulties always exist throughout the filmmaking process, but the crew shares the belief that it can be done and there are always solutions to difficult problems.
After more than 10 years of incubation, Tunnels: Sun in the Dark was completed after 12 months of preparation, 2 months of filming and 12 months of post-production.
Director Bui Thac Chuyen told a very interesting detail: "I once thought about going to your house and stretching a rope only 1 meter high so that you can learn how to crawl through it every day. You all have to crawl like in a tunnel, not allowed to stand straight. It has to be exactly like that all the time. There was also a time when I thought about giving each person a gun so that they could carry it with them 24/7, even when they slept with the gun."
Source: https://www.sggp.org.vn/dao-dien-bui-thac-chuyen-phim-dia-dao-mat-troi-trong-bong-toi-hu-cau-dua-tren-su-that-post791540.html
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