Music documentary: The story behind the spotlight

Recent collaborations between music and film have not only contributed to building and promoting artists' brands, but have also brought audiences authentic, emotionally rich, and profound films, further igniting a stronger love for their roots and homeland.

Music - the connecting thread

“The river has nourished generations of our nation. Of all the songs, perhaps the one sung here is the most endearing. The place where our parents were born and grew old. The place we return to. The homeland of our parents, the land of our ancestors…”, the voice of Ha Anh Tuan – a son of Ninh Binh province – resonates in the musical documentary "Brilliant Horizon," accompanied by images steeped in the history and culture of places like Van Long Lagoon, Ma Yen Mountain, Tam Coc, Thai Vi Temple, and Bai Dinh Ancient Pagoda… And then, traditional music blends with a modern breath, guided by the singing and voice of Ha Anh Tuan.

Images from the music documentary "Brilliant Horizon" by Ha Anh Tuan, directed by Lan Nguyen.

It's not just him; in the film, age-old stories are also retold through the voices of ordinary people from the countryside. Xẩm thập âm (a type of Vietnamese folk song) – the ancient lyrics about the love of parents for their children – and songs like "The Man Who Crossed Time," "The Vietnamese People," "Children of the Dragon," "Love Song," "No More Separations," "Matsuri," "Koi – The Fading Moonlight"… all resonate, imbued with pride and overflowing with emotion like an unending river.

The documentary film "Brilliant Horizon" originated from the Ha Anh Tuan Live concert, held in Ninh Binh in the spring of 2023, which attracted over 20,000 attendees. The concert brought back the art of Xam singing – a fading heritage – to the big stage, while also connecting Vietnamese music with the meditative and philosophical spirit of world music legend Kitaro. From these emotionally rich details, director Lan Nguyen conceived the idea for a documentary film of the same name. After more than two years of filming and completion, the film was officially released at Galaxy Cinema, BHD Star, and Lotte Cinema nationwide from December 12th to 21st.

Although originating from a project to capture the artistic legacy of Ha Anh Tuan, the film transcends the boundaries of a portrait of the artist to become a story about a journey back to one's roots, evoking values ​​that connect people with each other, and people with their homeland… The journey of the characters in the film, the landscapes, and the music encourage viewers to reflect on the silent movements within themselves.

A stepping stone to development

Over the past five years, investing in documentary films that tell interesting behind-the-scenes stories of live concerts or portray the profiles of artists has become a familiar trend chosen by many artists. In 2025 alone, five music documentaries were released to the public. Before "Brilliant Horizon," there was the film "Museum of Regret," which singer Vu recorded the atmosphere of two nights of performances in Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi at the end of 2024; "Rain of Fire" - a film about the "Brother Overcoming a Thousand Obstacles" program; "Brother Says Hi: The Villain Creates the Hero"; and "Vietnamese Concert Film: We Are Vietnamese" by Hoang Thuy Linh. Prior to that, there were many other films such as: "The Keeper of Time" - My Tam; "Sky Tour the Movie" - Son Tung M-TP; "The Color of Faded Grass" - composer Tran Tien; "Then One Day Ha Talks About Love" - ​​Ho Ngoc Ha; experimental music films "Short Stories" - Ha Anh Tuan; "Healed Wounds" - Ha Anh Tuan; and "Show of Den" - Den Vau…

In reality, music documentaries released in theaters aren't a particularly appealing option for the general audience, as they typically only attract the artist's fan base, not to mention the fierce competition they face from other theatrical releases. According to Box Office Vietnam data, the box office revenue for these films is quite modest: "Brother Says Hi: The Villain Makes the Hero" grossed 15.4 billion VND, making it the highest-grossing Vietnamese concert film. Following closely behind are "Tri Am: The Keeper of Time" at 12.3 billion VND; "Rain of Fire" at 12.2 billion VND; and "Sky Tour Movie" at 11 billion VND… Some films even only earned a few tens or hundreds of millions of VND. "Making music documentaries is a risky decision. However, documentaries have great value because they tell the story of real life," director Cao Trung Hieu commented.

Despite numerous challenges, the genre of music documentaries is showing positive signs. The fact that "Brilliant Horizon" was awarded the Jury Prize in the documentary category at the 2025 Vietnam Film Festival demonstrates the effort and artistic quality of this genre. Music documentaries are contributing a unique voice to contemporary Vietnamese documentary filmmaking, allowing audiences to connect with the stories behind the lights, the enduring values, and the dedication of the creative community.

TIEU TAN

Source: https://www.sggp.org.vn/phim-tai-lieu-am-nhac-cau-chuyen-phia-sau-anh-den-post828227.html