The man behind the "sonic epic" of the film "Red Rain"

While lighting, color, and acting make a strong impression on viewers, sound is the "lifeblood" that drives the emotions of "Red Rain"—a highly acclaimed war film of Vietnamese cinema in 2025. Behind this world of sound is Ms. Hoang Thi Thu Thuy, a female engineer from Nghe An province, who has spent over 26 years persistently "hunting for emotions," so that every bomb sound, every drop of water, every poignant silence between life and death, and the fate of the soldiers in "Red Rain" becomes an unforgettable memory for the audience.

"Red Rain" – a war film by the People's Army Film Studio – not only created an unprecedented box office sensation in Vietnamese film history, reaching over 700 billion VND in revenue after more than a month in theaters, but recently also consecutively won prestigious awards: Best Film at the 12th Green Star Awards, Golden Kite Award for Best Feature Film…

When discussing the film's success, amidst the praise for the director, script, acting, special effects, and editing pacing, there is one crucial element that contributes to the emotional weight of "Red Rain," which is widely recognized: sound.

Ms. Hoang Thi Thu Thuy shared about the sound production process for the film "Red Rain". Photo: Khanh Ly

From the earth-shattering sounds of bombs, the tearing of bullets, the roar of the Thach Han River, to the prolonged silences between life and death, the sounds in "Red Rain" not only recreate war but also guide emotions and psychology, compelling viewers to listen, feel, and confront the pain and sacrifice.

The person responsible for overseeing the entire sound production of the film is Ms. Hoang Thi Thu Thuy, currently a lecturer in the Department of Film and Television Technology, Hanoi University of Theatre and Film.

Meeting Hoang Thi Thu Thuy at her cozy little house in Vinh Phu ward, Nghe An province, where her parents live, the first impression is one of calmness and gentleness—the demeanor of someone accustomed to working behind the lights and with a burning passion for cinematic sound.

When talking about "Red Rain," she still feels the same excitement as the day she first received the script and was invited to participate. Although she has over 26 years of experience in the profession, having participated in many war films such as "Red Dawn" and "Tunnels - The Sun in the Darkness," director Dang Thai Huyen's "Red Rain," adapted from the novel of the same name by writer Chu Lai, is still a completely different challenge.

The film crew of "Red Rain". Photo: Provided by the crew.

The film is inspired by the 81-day and 81-night battle to defend the Quang Tri Citadel in 1972, one of the most tragic chapters in Vietnam's war history. For Thu Thuy, this is not just a professional project but also a journey of gratitude.

“My father was a teacher who went to the South during the war. I grew up surrounded by war stories, memories, and the losses of my father's generation. When participating in 'Red Rain,' I thought a lot about how to make the sound not only accurate but also emotionally resonant, as a way to pay tribute to those who fell so that the country could have peace today,” she shared.

"Red Rain" is a large-scale project, with a 100% Vietnamese crew. The scenes with the most participants alone had over 1,000 extras. The sound crew on set consisted of about 6 people, and post-production had 7-8 people, working continuously for many months. With high concentration and dedication, the sound engineers and sound artists spent months gathering pre-production materials, then processing them in post-production, including: recreating sound effects, recording and processing dialogue, designing SFX and background sounds, and mixing the music.

According to Ms. Hoang Thi Thu Thuy, cinematic sound always has two pillars: technique and creativity.

“The script is one story, but the setting is another. The weather, temperature, acting, background, and even the sounds of everyday life all have an impact. Our task is to find the most suitable sound materials so that the audience can ‘feel’ the atmosphere of the ancient citadel – a place where life has been almost completely eroded and depleted.”

The cast and crew of the film "Red Rain". Photo: Provided by the filmmakers.

To achieve this, the sound team spent a lot of time gathering pre-production materials, conducting field surveys, and talking to people who had lived and fought in Quang Tri, as well as veterans, to visualize the soundscape of that historical period.

The People's Army Film Studio also works closely with local authorities to minimize the intrusion of modern sounds into the studio, in order to avoid disrupting the historical atmosphere—a vital element for war films.

According to Thu Thủy, film sound design is a combination of technique and feeling. “What is captured on location is just raw material. The sound engineer must select, process, and arrange it to create an atmosphere that suits the character's psychology.”

One of the special aspects that makes "Red Rain" so emotionally impactful for viewers is the skillful use of silence, despite the film's fast pace, intense action, and numerous scenes. For example, in the scene where the character Sen is buried underground, relying solely on the sound of digging would only evoke a sense of action. Therefore, the production team deliberately interrupted the direct sound, adding effects to create psychological depth, allowing viewers to feel not just the pain of an individual but the shared tragedy of the entire war.

Or the scene where Tú sacrifices himself, sinking into the Thạch Hãn River: The sound of bombs exploding, the sound of water, then the sounds fade away, giving way to a prolonged silence - a moment of helplessness, pain, and emptiness, causing emotions to subside.

In the scene with the character Ta, the sound is handled subtly and delicately: a drop of water falls, music spreads through the space, then Ta's voice rings out. A slow death, lucid enough to give instructions about paying party dues, buying hair clips for his child, telling his wife to find someone else – making the sadness deep and lingering.

"War brings sudden deaths, but it also brings very long deaths. The sound must convey that," Thu Thủy shared.

Ms. Hoang Thi Thu Thuy and the actors in the film "Red Rain". Photo: Provided by the interviewee.

Ms. Hoang Thi Thu Thuy "hunts" for sound on the set of "Red Rain". Photo courtesy of the interviewee.

Actress Hoang Thi Thu Thuy on the set of "Red Rain". Photo: Provided by the subject.

In the making of "Red Rain," our goal was to synchronize the visuals with all sound elements, from dialogue and sound effects to music, in order to authentically recreate reality and create a continuous emotional thread, evoking the deepest emotions in the audience regarding the fate of eighteen- and twenty-year-old soldiers on the battlefield . The crew tried to record as much on-location sound as possible, because that is the most authentic material.

Ms. Hoang Thi Thu Thuy records sound at the film set. Photo: Provided by the interviewee.

Hoang Thi Thu Thuy likens her work to a "hunting expedition"—hunting for sounds, emotions, and moments that can be transformed into the language of cinema.

The post-production process lasted four months, involving 465 audio tracks and requiring advanced technical skills. There were segments that she and her colleagues had to review hundreds of times.

Ms. Hoang Thi Thu Thuy handles the post-production sound for the film "Red Rain". Clip: Provided by the interviewee.

"Every time I get to that scene, listening to the music and the soldiers' dialogue, tears just stream down my face. I'm reliving the emotions while doing my job," she recounted.

Ms. Thuy and the sound engineers working on the set of "Red Rain". Photo: Provided by the interviewee.

According to the sound engineer, technology today is much more helpful than it was decades ago, but technology cannot replace emotion.

"Film sound must be a combination of sight, hearing, thought, and action. What is captured on location is only raw material; technology is needed to refine it. But technology is just a tool. The most important thing is still emotion and understanding the story. If the sound engineer lacks sensitivity, no matter how advanced the technology is, it will not create soulful sound."

Ms. Hoang Thi Thu Thuy likens her work to a "hunting expedition"—hunting for sounds, hunting for emotions. Photo: Provided by the interviewee.

For example, from the voice of the character Ta in the flooded camp, the sound of dripping water, the choked breaths of his comrades, to the wolf-like howl of the character Sen – all are processed using reverb technology, blending layers of sound to create space, but achieving a natural and haunting effect.

"Sen is not just an individual, but a symbol of the memory of the pain of war. That tragedy reminds us that today's peace was bought with the blood and intact souls of soldiers," she said.

Born into a family where both parents were teachers, Hoang Thi Thu Thuy chose the challenging path of art and technology. At the time she took her university entrance exams, the field of Film and Sound Engineering was still very new and few people pursued it.

But it was her curiosity and passion for exploration that led her to the Department of Film and Television Technology, Hanoi University of Theatre and Film, where she was trained by Professor Tran Cong Chi – a leading sound engineer in Vietnam. “The more I learned, the more excited and interested I became in transforming sound into a ‘creative language’,” Hoang Thi Thu Thuy expressed.

Ms. Thuy and the sound engineers on the set of "Red Rain". Photo: Provided by the interviewee.

After graduating with a degree in Sound, she worked at the university's experimental film studio and then became a lecturer. In the classroom, Ms. Thu Thủy not only taught techniques but also instilled in students a way of listening with emotion, treating sound as a storytelling language.

A colleague from her school remarked: "In the world of cinema – where light, color, and acting often capture everyone's attention – sound remains quietly present, like an undercurrent contributing to the emotional depth and vibrant breath of life in each frame."

For sound engineer and lecturer Hoang Thi Thu Thuy, from the Department of Film and Television Technology at the Hanoi University of Theatre and Film, over twenty-five years of dedication to film sound is not only a professional journey but also an expression of enduring passion, an unceasing desire to explore, and a wish to inspire generations of film and visual arts students both domestically and internationally.

Ms. Hoang Thi Thu Thuy and her mother, a retired teacher, currently reside in Vinh Phu ward, Nghe An province. Photo: Khanh Ly

Simultaneously teaching and participating in major film projects allows her to continuously update her technological skills, transforming professional experience into vivid material for her lectures, bridging the gap between theory and practice. Real-world experiences from the films also become engaging examples for her lectures.

"Interestingly, there's no specific formula; each film has its own unique approach, depending on the director's feelings and the film's structure and content. For example, when making the film 'Underground Tunnels - The Sun in the Darkness,' the director wanted to express a sense of vastness and distance, so the sound design had to find the right material to convey that vastness and distance," Ms. Thuy shared.

Hoang Thi Thu Thuy won the award for outstanding sound at the 24th Vietnam Film Festival. Photo: Provided by the artist.

Before "Red Rain," Hoang Thi Thu Thuy had participated in "Red Dawn"—a film also about war that won the Golden Kite Award for Best Sound in a Feature Film in 2022—and "Underground Tunnels—The Sun in the Darkness" by director Bui Thac Chuyen, a film that won the Silver Kite Award in 2025.

However, "Red Rain" is the biggest milestone in her career – where the sound, dubbed an "epic," not only tells the story but also "breathes life" into the entire film. At the 24th Vietnam Film Festival, the blockbuster "Red Rain" also won many important awards. Among them, the award for outstanding sound went to Hoang Thi Thu Thuy.

Ms. Hoang Thi Thu Thuy speaks with reporters from Nghe An Newspaper and Radio & Television. Photo: Le Hoa

On the day the film premiered in Hanoi, she bought tickets for the whole family to see it. Her parents – who had experienced the war – also took a bus from Nghe An to Hanoi to see the film at the premiere, and later watched it many times, with quiet pride in their daughter.

"Our sound team only contributed a very small part to the overall success of the 'Red Rain' film crew, but that's a great source of happiness," she said.

Ms. Hoang Thi Thu Thuy with her parents, daughter, and grandchild. Photo: Khanh Ly

Ms. Hoang Thi Thu Thuy's family watches the movie "Red Rain" again. Photo: Khanh Ly

For Hoang Thi Thu Thuy, the journey of "hunting for emotions" is far from over, and she hopes to participate in more exciting film projects. "The more challenging the project, the more motivated we sound engineers are to be creative," the sound engineer from Nghe An smiled.

Source: https://baonghean.vn/nguoi-dung-sau-khuc-trang-ca-bang-am-thanh-cua-phim-mua-do-10320632.html