Praising and criticizing films: Responsibility and civility.

The director of the animated film "Little Trang Quynh: The Legend of the Golden Ox," Meritorious Artist Trinh Lam Tung, which is receiving mixed reviews, revealed that he always reads all the audience comments and knows which ones are worth remembering and which ones are worth forgetting. And among them, he said, sadly, there are quite a few meaningless comments.

The boundary of impartiality

According to director and Meritorious Artist Trinh Lam Tung, there are comments demanding that Vietnamese animation films must achieve the same level of success as Pixar, DreamWorks, or Warner Bros. “Is that dream wrong? Certainly not. We also aspire, even more so than you, because in this profession, even if it means sacrificing youth, finances, or health, who wouldn't want to reach those heights? But you can't just jump straight to the top. We are still very far from them; that's a reality we must accept and strive to change, taking one step at a time. Even the world's leading animation studios did the same; they also took steps, overcoming obstacles to achieve the success they have today,” Meritorious Artist Trinh Lam Tung expressed.

Filmmakers always want to receive fair and objective feedback.

Previously, at the premiere of the film "Cold Sun," director Le Hung Phuong also stated that he felt hurt and decided to temporarily stop making films until he had a good project or when he felt happy. "It's right that bad films get criticized, but nowadays many people on social media are willing to criticize indiscriminately – they criticize bad films, they criticize good films, they criticize even without having seen the film… When talented people criticize correctly, I feel ashamed and try to correct my mistakes, but sometimes I'm criticized without understanding why, and it feels very discouraging, like everything is slipping out of my grasp," he expressed.

Recently, Vietnamese cinema has also seen the rise of "seeding" (spreading information) – a new form of promotion, often through comments, shares, and discussions on social media and forums. There are two common approaches to film seeding: either praising or criticizing, with the ultimate goal of creating a viral wave and word-of-mouth effect. However, what started as a positive marketing method has been distorted into a tool for slander and criticism, especially when two or more Vietnamese films are released simultaneously. Many Vietnamese directors and producers have spoken out about becoming victims of this unethical seeding.

Building spaces for dialogue.

Most directors, producers, and actors share the view that praise and criticism are inevitable. Once a film is released to the public, it no longer belongs to any one individual. Producer Hoang Quan believes that everyone has the right to speak up when a film is released. “I accept living with the hype and negative feedback. But I also have the right to choose and filter valuable information and lessons to improve myself,” he emphasized. Director Trinh Lam Tung added: “For me, there is no such thing as positive or negative feedback, but rather different perspectives and viewpoints. I always remain clear-headed and happily accept everything. What’s important is who the feedback comes from.”

In fact, not only in films but in any art form, the right to praise or criticize is perfectly normal. Especially in the context of increasingly sophisticated audience demands, tastes, and aesthetic sensibilities, the requirements will become more stringent. However, it is reprehensible if praise becomes excessive flattery regardless of the film's flaws, or if criticism becomes personal attacks and defames the producers and actors. Freedom of speech is a right, but responsible speech is civilized. Praise and criticism are not wrong, but finding a way to praise or criticize appropriately and in a way that truly convinces those involved is the real challenge.

The recent surge in praise and criticism of films stems from the fact that film criticism has not fulfilled its proper role and weight. This leads to a situation where praise and criticism are sometimes based on emotion. Especially in the context of the social media boom, the voices of experts, which are supposed to provide guidance and critical feedback, are drowned out by countless uncontrolled comments. Therefore, it is essential to create a space where all critical opinions are substantiated and where professionals, critics, and audiences can engage in dialogue.

Cinema cannot thrive without an audience, especially with diverse feedback. Praise and criticism, when properly channeled, can be a driving force for creativity.

VAN TUAN

Source: https://www.sggp.org.vn/khen-che-phim-trach-nhiem-va-van-minh-post802744.html