The film “Glorious Ashes” has been a huge success since its release in 2022. The film’s achievements show that art films still have their own place, while affirming the name of director Bui Thac Chuyen in the film industry with his efforts and passion for contributing to the development of the country’s cinema that never stops.
Because he believes that the ultimate goal of a filmmaker is to bring love of art and love of life to the audience. So do it to the end, don't let the current difficulties lower your artistic value.
The power of cinema comes from simplicity
Reporter (PV): Congratulations to the director on the great successes that “Glorious Ashes” has achieved domestically and internationally recently. Could you share more about your joy with the readers of the People’s Army Newspaper?
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| Director Bui Thac Chuyen. |
Director Bui Thac Chuyen: “Glorious Ashes” is a healing film for me, because after 2012, I suffered from depression and thought I could no longer make films. One time, I decided to go to the South, to a land I had never been to before, to swim in the fields during the flood season, to eat grilled fish on the dike surrounded by immense floodwaters, to see nature and people merge into one in a land where nature is still preserved.
Luckily, I found a new source of energy when I came across the stories of writer Nguyen Ngoc Tu, “Glorious Ashes” and “Rotten Firewood Drifting Back”. The content of the work is about women in the West with many confidences, the desire to be loved and the desire to be cared for by their men. Inspired by the stories and real experiences, I started writing the script. From the time the script was completed to the filming, to the time the film received awards, I still could not believe that “Glorious Ashes” had such a life. I myself was surprised by the power of cinema originating from very simple things. In this film, I also tried to find very simple things like that. I am very happy that my characters touched the hearts of the audience.
PV: You always consider yourself an independent filmmaker. That is, you make films to express your own artistic views through your works. Is that why there have been opinions that Bui Thac Chuyen's films are not easy to watch. What do you think about this comment?
Director Bui Thac Chuyen: For each film, I usually prepare very carefully. For example, from “The Blood Curse” to “The Glorious Ashes” is a period of 10 years. A film is like fate, the film chooses you.
In a country with a large film industry, independent filmmakers with a name can do their job more easily, they have a team or a community to work together very professionally. However, in our country, independent films are always a “solo” journey for the director. He has to find the project, prepare the project, write the script, plan everything, find a producer, from there find money, find a crew, find actors…
When I received the Golden Lotus Award for Best Film at the 23rd Vietnam Film Festival (2023) in Da Lat City, I thanked my crew, especially the actors, who contributed images for the audience to visualize the characters. The ultimate goal of a filmmaker is to bring love of art and love of life to the audience. So do it to the end, don't let the difficulties ahead lower your artistic value.
Vietnamese cinema needs audience support
PV: You pursue and are passionate about making art films. But the reality is that even though “Glorious Ashes” won many domestic and international awards, its theatrical revenue was still not as expected. Are you sad?
Director Bui Thac Chuyen: There are two audiences. Audiences who go to the cinema for entertainment purposes look for commercial films. Besides, there are also a number of viewers who love art, want to enrich their knowledge, culture... I decided to make films for the second group. In reality, it is very rare for a film to be successful in both aspects. That is a big challenge for the film industry at this time, even in countries with developed film industries.
A strong cinema industry is not only one with good revenue but also has to have diversity in spirit, attractive plot, and storytelling style that is also very luxurious, rich, and full of life. In addition to having a theater full of audiences, we need to have films that go deep into the human condition with new cinematic languages. That is also a very necessary thing for those who work in the profession and those who enjoy cinema.
The Vietnamese film industry is not strong yet. Therefore, it needs to be supported by the audience, not suppressed. Good films, showing the heart of the film producers rather than paying attention to unnecessary details, need to be shared, understood and encouraged to "build a Vietnamese film industry rich in national identity, modern and humane" - the message that the 23rd Vietnam Film Festival spread.
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| Image from the movie “Glorious Ashes”. Photo provided by the character |
PV: Along with making films, for many years now, you have maintained the activities of the Center for Supporting and Developing Cinema Talents (TPD) under the Vietnam Cinema Association. What do you often tell young filmmakers?
Director Bui Thac Chuyen: I inspire them to commit. Art is not allowed to retreat in the face of difficulties. Having faith, love and the ability to tell a convincing story are important qualities that a filmmaker must have. Those are also the qualities that investors really want to see in young filmmakers.
To “nurture” the dream of making feature films, young people should first make short films. From my perspective, or most recently from the young director Ha Le Diem with the victories of the short film “Nhung dua tre trong suong”, this is a game within reach of those who are just starting their careers, where they can demonstrate their creativity not only in art but also in mastering the game. That is also a quality that can convince future investors.
PV: Can you reveal the movie that has just started filming and will be released to the audience in the near future?
Director Bui Thac Chuyen: I am working on a very special film project. A work about the revolutionary theme, about people who have dedicated their lives to the reunification of the country. A film with a large and fierce setting, rich in humanity and I hope this is a good film.
I spent many years going to the field, writing and revising the script. Then I had to find funding to make the film. It was really a difficult journey to make a film about revolutionary heroes without using a budget. I cannot deny that thanks to the success of “Glorious Ashes”, raising capital and finding a producer for the film was also easier.
Everything is still in progress and I hope this "child" will soon take shape and be introduced to the audience on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of national reunification (1975-2025).
PV: Thank you very much, director!
| “Glorious Ashes” won 5 awards at the 23rd Vietnam Film Festival, including the Golden Lotus Award and helping director Bui Thac Chuyen win the Best Director Award. Previously, the film won important categories when it won the Best Director and Best Film awards at the 2023 Golden Kite Awards. At the 3 Continents Film Festival held in France at the end of 2022, the film won the Golden Balloon Award. The National Council for Film Selection for the 2024 Oscars chose “Glorious Ashes” to represent Vietnamese cinema in the preliminary round of the Best International Film category. |
Source: https://www.qdnd.vn/van-hoa/doi-song/phim-nghe-thuat-can-khan-gia-thau-hieu-ung-ho-765194
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