Musical film “Letter to the Future” and Le Minh Ngoc's unexpected turn in music

During the recent 80th anniversary of Vietnam's National Day on September 2nd, the musical film "A Letter to the Future," produced by the Arts and Culture Department of Vietnam Television, resonated with television viewers nationwide. The film also marked a new turning point in the career of Sao Mai Le Minh Ngoc, who played two main roles and was the lead vocalist in the film.

Sao Mai Le Minh Ngoc in the music video "A Letter to the Future".

In this musical film, Lê Minh Ngọc, the winner of the 2022 Sao Mai singing competition, was specially invited to participate in two roles: lead singer and actress. "A Letter to the Future" also marks a fresh and emotional turning point in Lê Minh Ngọc's singing career as she shifts to classical music instead of her familiar folk music.

The musical film "Letters to the Future," directed by Lam Ha, aired on VTV1 to commemorate the 80th anniversary of National Day. The 45-minute film tells a story through music about the nation's history, focusing on the fate of Mr. Tam's family – an intellectual who joined the Viet Minh in 1945 and sacrificed his life at the Saigon-Xuan Loc border crossing. The story is retold through letters Mr. Tam wrote to his daughter, Mrs. Nho, the grandmother of Ngoc (played by Le Minh Ngoc).

Determined to help Ms. Nho fulfill her dying wish – to find the grave of her martyred father – Ngoc used social media to connect with and reconnect with Mr. Tam's former comrades and bring his remains back to his hometown. On this journey, Ngoc not only found genuine inspiration for her singing but also gained a deeper understanding of the sacrifices of the previous generation. Mr. Tam's last letter to the future became a sacred message, connecting the past with the present, reminding the younger generation to live up to the sacrifices of their ancestors.

Scene from the film "Letter to the Future".

The film features many renowned artists, such as People's Artists Lan Huong and Ngoc Khang, and Meritorious Artist Thien Tung…

Regarding "A Letter to the Future," director Lam Ha shared: "This is not simply a historical film, but a sacred bridge connecting generations. On one side is the glorious past with its silent sacrifices, and on the other is the proud present with the responsibility to show gratitude and preserve it. 'A Letter to the Future' is a moving answer to the question: How can young people who have never experienced the flames of war understand and carry within them a patriotic heart?"

Through the journey of "deciphering" the dusty letters of soldier Tâm, the younger generation – represented by student Ngọc – relived the tragic years of the nation. And it is this memory that became a flame of inspiration, breathing life into the present. It is the most complete continuation, the "letter" from the past that finally found its recipient for the future.

Le Minh Ngoc plays two main roles in the film.

In the film, Lê Minh Ngọc, the winner of the 2022 Sao Mai singing competition, takes on the role of lead singer and plays two characters - Ngọc and Mrs. Nhớ in her youth. The music that Lê Minh Ngọc performs in the film is not the familiar folk music but classical music.

Speaking about Minh Ngọc's performance, People's Artist Quang Thọ, a teacher of many famous students from the National Academy of Music, commented: "I think Minh Ngọc is very courageous to transform herself into a 'movie star' rather than just an ordinary singer. In major musical films around the world , the singer is just a singer; there are actors playing the roles, and the actors have to learn to sing and lip-sync the singer's lyrics. This is a long musical film with historical elements, and Minh Ngọc plays two main roles that are quite extensive."

People's Artist Hong Hanh also praised Minh Ngoc, saying, "Besides her beautiful singing voice, I was very surprised by Minh Ngoc's acting. Her performance touched my heart. The film is about war and soldiers, and perhaps because Minh Ngoc is also an artist-soldier, she was able to feel the emotions of the soldiers in the film."

Le Minh Ngoc shared her thoughts about the film.

Singer Le Minh Ngoc shared: “Actually, it's not like I suddenly started transforming my artistic style now. Right after winning the 2022 National Sao Mai Singing Competition, I decided to switch to classical singing because it felt like I was returning to myself. Therefore, I have continuously honed my vocal technique to sing classical music better.”

In 2023, Minh Ngoc participated in the National Chamber Music Singing Competition and won first prize. This award boosted her self-confidence as she decided to develop herself and pursue chamber music. Therefore, when the Arts and Culture Department of Vietnam Television entrusted Minh Ngoc with performing songs associated with the nation's history in the musical film project "A Letter to the Future," she was truly excited and happy, pouring all her heart into the film. She hoped that, in addition to participating in a polished artistic work and contributing a small part to honoring the country on the 80th anniversary of National Day, the film would also mark a new stage in her artistic development.

Director Lam Ha, who helmed the film, shared that when developing the script for the project, she immediately thought of Minh Ngoc. “I’ve known Minh Ngoc since she was 18, and even then I saw the immense emotional power within her. If you could find the key to activate it, it would explode with incredible force,” the director stated.

Lam Ha also stated that she placed her trust in Minh Ngoc to perform the classical music in the film, even though she was the winner of the Sao Mai folk music competition. Minh Ngoc's self-confidence and desire to prove herself demonstrated the director's trust in her.

Being both the lead singer and playing two roles in the film, Le Minh Ngoc truly faced considerable pressure.

“The filming and broadcasting of the series took place very close to the Grand Celebration, and I was extremely busy with a packed schedule. I had to meticulously and scientifically organize my work to maintain my emotions and spirit during filming. The series was broadcast during prime time, so the pressure was even greater.”

My feelings at the time were a mix of excitement, anxiety, and nervousness because the film carried so many messages as an artistic work celebrating the 80th anniversary of National Day on September 2nd, and I also included my personal message about the new artistic path I'm pursuing. Therefore, the pressure was truly immense.

However, I feel extremely honored to have been a part of such a meaningful film as "A Letter to the Future" and happy that the audience has appreciated the film and praised my classical singing. Thanks to that, I am now confident in my choice and in my new development," Le Minh Ngoc emphasized.

Following the success of "Letter to the Future," Le Minh Ngoc is preparing to release a series of 9-10 songs about Hanoi, featuring timeless classics, to commemorate the 71st anniversary of the Liberation of the Capital (October 10, 1954 - October 10, 2025). This series includes many famous songs about Hanoi, carefully selected by Le Minh Ngoc and her team, and will be released weekly on her personal YouTube channel in the coming time.

Le Minh Ngoc said that she chose to sing about Hanoi because she wanted to express her gratitude to the land that has loved and nurtured her, giving her the career and life she has today, and also because classical songs about Hanoi are incredibly beautiful. Le Minh Ngoc wants to contribute another voice of "love" for Hanoi through music, aiming to spread this love for Hanoi more widely and enduringly.

Le Minh Ngoc works at the Army Music and Dance Theatre, under the General Political Department of the Vietnam People's Army. The female singer previously won first prize in the 2022 National Sao Mai Singing Competition and first prize in the 2023 National Chamber Music, Opera and Choral Singing Competition.

MAI NGUYEN

Source: https://nhandan.vn/phim-ca-nhac-la-thu-gui-tuong-lai-va-cu-re-bat-ngo-cua-le-minh-ngoc-trong-am-nhac-post908820.html