Young people are excited to go to the cinema to watch historical films.

"The Tunnels: The Sun in the Darkness" premiered nationwide on April 4th, commemorating the 50th anniversary of the liberation of Southern Vietnam and the reunification of the country. At cinemas throughout the province, this war-themed film, set in the Cu Chi tunnels and directed by Bui Thac Chuyen, has attracted considerable attention from audiences, especially young people.

A scene from the movie "Tunnels: The Sun in the Darkness".

Director Bui Thac Chuyen's historical film tells the story of the soldiers who fought in the "iron fortress" of Cu Chi. The film is set after the Cedar Falls operation in 1967 – a US military campaign aimed at destroying the South Vietnamese Liberation Army's base.

The film opens with a one-shot scene depicting the devastation of Binh An Dong, Cu Chi, with its forests burned to the ground. Female soldier Ba Huong (played by Ho Thu Anh) dives into the river searching for her comrades, but only finds bodies amidst the water hyacinths. This tragic scene draws the viewer into the story of a 21-person guerrilla group led by Bay Theo (played by actor Thai Hoa).

Following orders from their superiors, they remained in Cu Chi to guard medical equipment and supplies for the field hospital. However, only Bay Theo knew that their real mission was to protect the area where Hai Thung's (Hoang Minh Triet) strategic intelligence group was transmitting top-secret documents via radio waves. This responsibility put the guerrilla unit in a life-or-death situation, as the American army located them and launched a major offensive against the tunnels…

Young people buy tickets to watch the movie "Tunnels: The Sun in the Darkness" at Lotte Cinema Vung Tau.

Sharing her feelings after watching the film, Bui Nguyen Hai Au (a student at Phuoc Buu High School, Xuyen Moc district) could not hide her emotion at the scenes depicting the painful yet heroic history of our ancestors.

Hai Au said that she and her friend chose to watch a historical film at Lotte Cinema Vung Tau (Lotte Mart supermarket, 3/2 Street, Vung Tau City) after a stressful week of studying.

The film attracted Hai Au and her group due to their desire to learn about the country's glorious past. The film subtly portrays camaraderie, love, and everyday moments amidst the flames of war, evoking national pride in every Vietnamese person, especially the younger generation.

Similarly, Niem Hong Son (a student at the Vietnamese-German University) visited home for the weekend and went to the cinema with his father. Hong Son shared that the film received positive feedback on Facebook, TikTok, and film-loving groups, with many saying it's a "must-see" or "recommended" film to gain a deeper understanding of history and the patriotism of previous generations.

Hong Son believes that more films exploring historical themes are needed to foster patriotism and national pride in the younger generation.

According to Ms. Nguyen Thi Thanh Van, Head of Lotte Cinema Vung Tau, the film "Underground Tunnels - The Sun in the Darkness" is currently showing at the cinema with 12 screenings per day from 8:15 AM to 10:20 PM. Young audiences and families make up the majority of moviegoers. Notably, on weekends, 80% of young viewers choose to watch this film.

A large audience flocked to Ba Ria Cinema (Ba Ria City) to watch the film "Tunnels: The Sun in the Darkness" on the evening of April 12th.

At Ba Ria Cinema (at the Cach Mang Thang Tam roundabout, Ba Ria City), the film "Underground Tunnels: The Sun in the Darkness" is screened eight times a day, attracting many young people who buy tickets to watch this historical film.

Mr. Le Van Sang, Director of Ba Ria Cinema, said: "The film is restricted to audiences aged 16 and above, so the majority of viewers are high school students. Each screening has 50-60 young people and has received positive feedback after watching the film."

At the two cinemas in Ba Ria City and the Bach Dang bookstore (846A Binh Gia, Rach Dua Ward, Vung Tau City), there were large audiences enjoying the film, especially the evening screenings which recorded over 100 people.

Similarly, at Beta Phu My cinema (2nd floor, KNG Mall, 2439 Doc Lap Street, Van Hanh Ward, Phu My Town), Mr. Nguyen Thanh Liem, the representative supervising Beta Phu My cinema, said that the film "Underground Tunnels: The Sun in the Darkness" is receiving a lot of attention from the audience. After one week of release, the film is at the top of the cinema's box office revenue.

According to data from Box Office Vietnam, the film not only made a strong artistic impression but also achieved resounding success in terms of revenue, reaching the 100 billion VND mark nationwide after only 6 days of release as of April 10th.

Text and photos: HOANG BACH

Source: https://baobariavungtau.com.vn/van-hoa-nghe-thuat/202504/ky-niem-50-nam-giai-phong-mien-nam-va-giai-phong-con-dao-gioi-tre-hao-hung-den-rap-xem-phim-lich-su-1039570/