Artist's memories of war and revolutionary films

Precious black and white footage

Chung mot dong song is the first feature film of Vietnamese revolutionary cinema released in 1959, directed by Nguyen Hong Nghi and Pham Ky Nam, with the main actors Phi Nga and Manh Linh. The content revolves around the love story between Hoai (Phi Nga) and Van (Manh Linh) - two people living on opposite sides of Ben Hai River, who were imprisoned and separated.

Thuy An (as Sau Xoa) in the movie Wild Field

Photo: HPGP

Sister Tu Hau premiered in 1962, marking the name of People's Artist Tra Giang in the role of Tu Hau. The film was directed by Pham Ky Nam and Tran Thien Liem, and received the Golden Lotus Award at the 2nd Vietnam Film Festival. Next was Con chim vang (1962).

During the anti-American resistance war, the work Noi Gio (1966) directed by Huy Thanh depicts the story of two sisters in a family following two opposing political regimes. The older sister Van (Thuy Van) follows the National Liberation Front of South Vietnam, while the younger brother Phuong (The Anh) is a lieutenant of the Republic of Vietnam Armed Forces. Next is Parallel 17 Days and Nights (1972) directed by Hai Ninh, with the participation of famous actors: Tra Giang, Lam Toi, Phi Nga, Doan Dung, Dao Mong Long... The film brought People's Artist Tra Giang the Best Actress award at the 1973 Moscow International Film Festival. Next came a series of films such as Em Be Ha Noi (1974), Sao Thang Tam (1976), Me Va Nha (1979)...

Meritorious Artist Hai Nhat

Photo: NVCC

After April 30, 1975, many films left a deep impression on the audience about the nation's resistance war and the pain and loss after the war. The Wild Fields by director Hong Sen premiered on April 30, 1979 with the performances of Thuy An and Lam Toi, becoming a masterpiece of Vietnamese cinema, winning a series of awards at the 1980 Vietnam Film Festival, the Special Prize of the International Federation of Cinema Journalism at the 1980 Moscow International Film Festival, the Gold Medal at the 1981 Moscow International Film Festival...

Many other famous films such as Van bai lat ngua (1982 - 1987, director Le Hoang Hoa), Bao gio cho den thang muoi (1984, director Dang Nhat Minh), Biet dong Sai Gon (1984 - 1986, director Long Van), Co gai tren song (1987, director Dang Nhat Minh)... turned actors into stars such as Nguyen Chanh Tin, Thuong Tin, Le Van, Quang Thai, Ha Xuyen, Minh Chau, Thanh Loan... with countless awards at home and abroad.

Remember the day of peace

Meritorious Artist Ha Xuyen is known to the audience through a series of works: Far and Near, Saigon Special Forces, Girl on the River... especially the role of Ngoc Mai in the Saigon Special Forces series.

Thanh Loan as nun Huyen Trang in the movie Saigon Special Forces

Photo: NVCC

At the age of 69, she said: "I followed my husband to Ho Chi Minh City in June 1976. Everything from the scenery to the people were strange. We experienced a new life, approaching the new with many surprises and strangeness, but we had to get used to it. I remember participating in films about the new regime, how the old accepted the new, most specifically Far and Near by director Huy Thanh, released in 1983."

Ha Xuyen acknowledged that Saigon Special Forces marked the silent feats of intelligence soldiers, who faced many hardships and difficulties, and had to be disguised to operate. There were battles so famous that the US could not imagine. "We are proud to show some of those feats on the silver screen," she said.

Before 1975, Ha Xuyen was a dancer in the Thai Binh Song and Dance Troupe. Her husband was from the South, so he followed him to the South. She gave birth to her first daughter in 1977 in Ho Chi Minh City. "It's been 50 years since peace, time has passed in the blink of an eye, I never thought it would be so fast. The day I set foot in Ho Chi Minh City, I was only 20 years old. Those were the most beautiful years of my life. At that time, my husband and I didn't have a house, the agency let us stay temporarily behind the City Theater, until 1979, the state provided us with a house on Mac Thi Buoi Street. At that time, no one wanted to participate, the brothers and sisters at the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Construction kept asking us to accept the villa, but we refused. On April 30, 1985, I also participated in the parade, holding a silk ribbon following the Ho Chi Minh City cheering car on Le Duan Street, in front of the Reunification Palace, then down to Dong Khoi. I remember that year I had to wake up early at 2am to assemble the team".

Meritorious Artist Thanh Loan (74 years old) said: "There are many films about war in Vietnamese cinema. I have participated in some films such as Song of the Battle, Plan of Three Roses and 4 episodes of Saigon Special Forces with the role of nun Huyen Trang. Films about war require all members of the production team to be careful and precise between scenes of fire and smoke. Actors must focus on acting with the most realistic emotions so that the scenes of bombs falling and bullets exploding are not re-shot many times.

I think all Vietnamese people were moved to tears when witnessing the historic moment: the liberation of the South and the reunification of the country. On April 30, 1975, I was working at the General Political Department Drama Troupe. Unfortunately, that year I was pregnant with my first child, so I could not follow the troupe to the South to perform."

Meanwhile, Meritorious Artist Hai Nhat said: "On April 30, 1975, I was in the army, working as an artist of the regiment. In 1982, I was discharged from the army and went to the South to make films. By chance, I met director Hong Sen, he invited me to play the first role of an artillery commander in the film Hon Dat, then Sai Gon Special Forces, Floating Season, Robber Hunting, The Man Who Doesn't Carry His Name, Left Alone, Dead Coordinates, Rose Mission...".

This year, 77 years old, Meritorious Artist Hai Nhat has acted in more than 100 films spanning 40 years. "I have always been passionate about cinema, dreaming of filming in my sleep. In my entire film career, the only positive role was Captain Ba Dua in "Nhiêm vụ hoa hồng" (Rose Mission), co-starring with Ly Huynh, Dao Ba Son, Thuy An, the rest were villains and evil roles. I am very happy that the audience still remembers me. It is very touching to mark the 50th anniversary of the country's reunification. Life has changed a lot now, including me. The emotions are indescribable. I am old so I cannot go to see parades and military parades, so I have to stay home and watch TV."

Director Dang Nhat Minh revealed: "Memories of this city are always full in me. On April 30, 1975, I followed the first troops from the North to liberate the city and slept in the Independence Palace. I have felt this city familiar to me since then."

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/ky-uc-nghe-si-ve-dong-phim-chien-tranh-cach-mang-18525042222033991.htm