Speaking at the premiere, Lieutenant Colonel, Meritorious Artist, and director Dang Thai Huyen, representing the film crew of "Red Rain," emotionally stated: "What is depicted in the film about the 81 days and nights of the Quang Tri Citadel is only a very small part compared to the brutal reality of war. We are proud to have completed 'Red Rain' and brought the film a long way. But above all, we would like to express our gratitude to the audience, thank you for the applause, the tears, the empathy, and the encouragement from viewers, from Vietnam to Paris today."

Lieutenant Colonel, Meritorious Artist, director Dang Thai Huyen (second from the right) and the actors of the film "Red Rain" at the film's premiere.

Ache Ahmat Moustapha, a sociologist and film director, shared her thoughts after watching the film: “What impressed me most was the film's artistic value. But above all, it was the message of peace at the end – peace achieved after all the suffering. The film shows that, despite so much loss, there were people who sat down at the negotiating table, through the Geneva Accords and the Paris Agreements, to bring peace back to Vietnam. I was also particularly moved by the courage of the Vietnamese People's Army. The message the film conveys is truly powerful.”

From an academic perspective, Professor Alain Cyril Barioz, Professor of History and Geography in Paris, commented: “The film concludes with a highly symbolic final scene, where the girl's scarf is torn between two officers, forming the letter 'S', the shape of Vietnam. This concluding image provides the viewer with the necessary pause to reflect on the poignant story and the emotional connection between the men and the woman, as well as uniting a group of people.”

The delegation from the People's Army Film Studio interacted with the audience at the closing event of the Vietnam Film Week in France.

The screening of the film "Red Rain" at the event received great attention from international friends, overseas Vietnamese, and Vietnamese film enthusiasts. French audiences expressed admiration for the spirit of Vietnamese soldiers portrayed on screen; overseas Vietnamese were moved, saying the film brought them closer to their homeland. Many opinions praised "Red Rain" as a realistic, humane work that deserves to be introduced more widely in Europe.

The screening of "Red Rain" and the Q&A session with the audience concluded a vibrant week-long event, bringing together numerous artists, filmmakers, French and European partners, and over 6,000 attendees from France and nearly 20 other countries. The week was co-organized by the Vietnam Film Promotion Association (VFDA) and AVSE Global, under the patronage of the Vietnamese Embassy in France.

A large international audience attended the screening of the film "Red Rain".

Speaking at the closing ceremony, Ms. Pham Thi Kim Yen, Counselor of the Vietnamese Embassy in France, emphasized: “This week is not just a film screening program, but a journey – an invitation for audiences to discover and rediscover the landscapes, people, dreams, and challenges of Vietnam through the lens of filmmakers. Each film, each discussion, and each meeting with artists is an opportunity to celebrate the creativity, resilience, and soul of Vietnam.”

According to experts, the Vietnamese Film Week in France opens up the possibility of bringing this model to many other countries, creating a foundation for Vietnamese cinema to expand its presence on the international film map.

Text and photos: THANH HA (from Paris, France)

    Source: https://www.qdnd.vn/van-hoa/doi-song/dau-an-phim-mua-do-voi-khan-gia-tai-paris-1016689