Actor tells the story of filming "Tunnel: Sun in the Dark"

NDO - To get the most realistic and vivid footage of the Bay Theo guerrilla team's fight underground in the tunnels, the actors had to make an effort, even sacrifice themselves for their roles.

"Tunnel: Sun in the Dark" features actor Thai Hoa, Meritorious Artist Cao Minh and young professional film actors such as Quang Tuan, Ho Thu Anh, Diem Hang Lamoon...

“Tunnel: Sun in the Dark” is probably a rare film where the male and female leads are not “beautiful men and women”. The film does not even have a main character. According to director Bui Thac Chuyen, he intentionally did not let any character stand out the most, but the main, most important character of the film is the tunnel.

To play the role of the Cu Chi guerrillas at that time as required by the director, the actors had to lose weight and undergo two months of rigorous political and military training at the training ground with the support of officers from the Ho Chi Minh City Command. Quang Tuan even had to lose 14kg, with a gaunt face and a skinny body to fit the character of Tu Dap.

Thai Hoa had to lose weight and do military training to get into the role.

Most of the audience when watching the movie had the same opinion that if Thai Hoa did not participate, there would be no Bay Theo. But few people know that Thai Hoa himself once thought of asking director Bui Thac Chuyen not to play Bay Theo anymore.

Recalling the first days of receiving the script, actor Thai Hoa said that before accepting the project “Tunnel: Sun in the Dark”, he had just finished another project and only had about 2 or 3 weeks left to prepare. At that time, both worried and under pressure, Thai Hoa asked director Bui Thac Chuyen to let him “let go of the role”. At that time, director Bui Thac Chuyen also agreed, but Thai Hoa still felt regretful because he actually really liked the role of Bay Theo. He “whispered” to the director that if he couldn’t find anyone else and there was still a chance, he would let him come back.

Fortunately, “Tunnel: Sun in the Dark” is a film that requires a long preparation period and cannot be started immediately, so the gap between the two projects is about 2 months. During that time, Thai Hoa spent time exercising, losing weight, studying military, and learning to shoot. He also spent time living and working with the entire cast playing the role of the Binh An Dong guerrilla team.

The connection during the preparation and filming process, as well as the encouragement and psychological relief from director Bui Thac Chuyen, greatly encouraged Thai Hoa. He also went with director Bui Thac Chuyen to meet with veterans and learn more information on the internet.

“When we entered the filming set, we became real teammates, had feelings and interacted with each other more easily. That is why, until the film was released, Thai Hoa still could not seem to get out of his role as Bay Theo, when he still called the actors who acted with him “Binh An Dong squad”.

He expressed regret that the entire "Binh An Dong squad" could not be present in Hanoi at the time of the film's premiere, and shared his feelings of emotion at the enthusiastic reception of the Hanoi audience.

Meritorious Artist Cao Minh in the movie poster.

Like actor Thai Hoa, Meritorious Artist Cao Minh initially also intended to refuse to act in the film. Sharing about the role, he said that he is a singer, from Trang Bang (Tay Ninh), next to Cu Chi wall. At first, he did not dare to accept the role of Uncle Sau.

“But thinking back, this is my homeland, and a director from the North came to write a script about this land, which made me feel nostalgic, and from then on I accepted to participate in the film” – Meritorious Artist Cao Minh recounted.

Meritorious Artist Cao Minh said that when he was young, he had also crawled down the tunnel many times and now he is a character in the tunnel. “I really look forward to the day I can stand here so that young audiences in the North can witness extremely real images. It is so real that my role cannot shed tears, but I cried in the tunnel because I was moved by the sacrifice of our ancestors.”

Meritorious Artist Cao Minh also shared that the process of making the film itself created such authenticity that he, a singer, was still able to act very naturally.

Ho Thu Anh (left) shows the strength and resilience of a female guerrilla in Cu Chi.

While artist Thai Hoa and Meritorious Artist Cao Minh initially refused the role, Ho Thu Anh was the one who followed the information and pursued to "ask" to play Ba Huong in the film. "Since I knew there was a casting for the character Ba Huong, I was determined to have this role, and that spirit has been with me throughout this film. I was determined to portray the image of a female guerrilla during the resistance war."

Ho Thu Anh shared that she felt lucky to be born in peacetime, not knowing what war was. During the casting, the director commented, “Why do you look like a housewife?” That’s why she tried her best to transform from a housewife to a female guerrilla as the audience saw in the film.

“It was a very long journey. I had to lose a lot of weight, both to crawl through the tunnels and to truly portray the image of female guerrillas during that period,” said Ho Thu Anh.

However, the biggest challenge for her was how to portray the spirit of the female guerrillas Ba Huong as well as those who had lived through the war. And fortunately, Ho Thu Anh was able to meet real-life witnesses, talk to and stay with veteran soldiers who inspired her to understand that war is not only about bombs and bullets, but also about humanity, camaraderie and love. "Director Bui Thac Chuyen as well as the actors, crew, and I were ready for filming."

In the film, actor Quang Tuan plays the role of Tu Dap, modeled after the “tank-destroying machine” - Hero of the Armed Forces To Van Duc. To fully express the spirit of this special character, the actor spent many months immersed in the stories of veterans and people of the “steel land”: “Inspired by the veterans, the other actors and I all understood that if each of us did not have the spirit of war, the film would just be a normal action film.”

Director Bui Thac Chuyen in a scene.

Not only the film, but also the efforts of the cast and the dedication and passion of director Bui Thac Chuyen also made a strong impression.

Meritorious Artist Cao Minh has always had great respect for director Bui Thac Chuyen: “I truly admire Mr. Chuyen - a northerner who has spent more than 10 years researching, preparing, and understanding every breath of Cu Chi land and he has successfully expressed that passion through this film. Thank you for your determination to carry out the project”. When a film is made with the meticulousness and passion... of the entire crew, it deserves to receive respect from the audience.

Source: https://nhandan.vn/dien-vien-ke-chuyen-dong-phim-dia-dao-mat-troi-trong-bong-toi-post871169.html