The news that director Long Van passed away on December 24 after being treated at the Vietnam-Soviet Friendship Hospital caused grief to his family and colleagues.
Sharing with Dan Tri reporter, artist Ha Xuyen - who plays the female intelligence officer Ngoc Mai in the movie Saigon Special Forces shared that she was flying from Ho Chi Minh City to Phu Quoc for a vacation with her family when she heard the news of director Long Van's passing. She was very sad and heartbroken.
She knew that in his last years, the male director's health was not good, but she was still shocked when she heard the bad news.
Artist Ha Xuyen said that when director Long Van invited her to play the role of Ngoc Mai, she was very worried, wondering if she could do well in the role that the director had entrusted her with. At that time, director Long Van paid attention to each scene, he let the actors practice their lines and rehearse before filming, and only when the director was satisfied did he start filming.
"To make 4 episodes of Saigon Special Forces named: Rendezvous, Quiet, Storm, Return My Name , director Long Van had to leave his family in Hanoi and go to Ho Chi Minh City for 3 years.
In the past, when we made films, we were not under time pressure. We had to print and develop the film to know if it was good or not after we finished it. Films were often left at the port, so they got moldy and we had to re-shoot many damaged scenes," Ms. Ha Xuyen recalled.
"Intelligence woman Ngoc Mai" Ha Xuyen said that during the filming of Saigon Special Forces , the film crew only consisted of her, artist Thuong Tin and some supporting characters living in Ho Chi Minh City, while the entire crew came from Hanoi.
At that time, many actors had to bring their children along because the filming time was very long. Meritorious Artist Thanh Loan also had to bring her two young children. Director Long Van also brought his daughter Van Dung to participate in the role of a newspaper girl in the film he directed.
"The film crew was very united and worked hard with the desire to complete the film soon. Until now, many audiences still remember and love the film Saigon Special Forces . The happiest thing is that the film was chosen as one of the best war films in Vietnam. That is a worthy reward for director Long Van and screenwriter Le Phuong," said Ms. Ha Xuyen.
Artist Ha Xuyen confided that director Long Van is someone who, once he decides to do something, he must do it. Even when choosing actors, there are still opinions, but he always believes in his choices and is not influenced by outside influences.
The female artist said: "After the movie Saigon Special Forces , director Long Van invited me to play a role in the movie See You Again Saigon , but I was afraid that I wouldn't do well and would disappoint the director, so I didn't accept. Later, when making the movies Liberation of Saigon and Children of Saigon Special Forces, Long Van also invited me, but for objective reasons, I couldn't participate."
According to Ms. Ha Xuyen, in real life, director Long Van is an emotional, gentle, and sincere person with friends and colleagues.
Artist Ha Xuyen said that the last time she met director Long Van was when he came to Ho Chi Minh City to film The Children of Saigon Special Forces (2011). She went to where director Long Van lived to visit. At that time, the male director's legs were weak, but he was still passionate about his job, he still thought about the script and how to act for each actor.
Sharing with Dan Tri reporter, Meritorious Artist Thanh Loan said that she is in Australia, on the afternoon of December 24, when she heard the news of director Long Van's passing, she was extremely sad and regretful.
"The passing of director Long Van is a sorrow not only for his family, friends and fellow artists, but also a great loss for Vietnam's revolutionary cinema.
I also feel disappointed because when my close colleagues passed away, I was not there, not in Hanoi. Previously, Meritorious Artist Quang Thai, who played Tu Chung, passed away, I was in Hospital 354, and this time it was the same. Director Long Van passed away, I could not be in Hanoi to see him off...", the female artist sadly said.
In her impression, Mr. Long Van is a talented, gentle and virtuous director, living simply, harmoniously, and kind to colleagues.
"Director Long Van is passionate about making films with every breath. He doesn't care about fame or fortune. Many people feel sorry that he has never had any awards or titles.
During his lifetime, many people told him to make a profile. But he often brushed it off, not wanting to do it, just wanting to contribute and make films. He said: "Only think about what hasn't been done yet, what has been done, let it go", "nun Huyen Trang" shared.
The female artist said that Saigon Special Forces is the first multi-episode color film in Vietnamese cinema. For people in the profession like her, being able to participate in this film is a great honor in the artist's life.
Because the film has truly lived forever in the hearts of the audience and created a special mark in the history of the country's cinema. Every time she watches it again, she feels very emotional, remembering a difficult period of filmmaking.
According to Meritorious Artist Thanh Loan, to have such a sharp and unpredictable "nun Huyen Trang", she had to study the script carefully, discuss and work with the screenwriter and director Long Van many times.
She even had to cut off her long hair because in the past there was no rubber cap to cover her head. Next, the artist asked to stay at Duoc Su Pagoda for a week, ate vegetarian food and practiced chanting, beating wooden fish, ringing bells, and begging for alms to look like a monk. She also practiced rowing a boat and soaking in the rivers of the South.
For Meritorious Artist Thanh Loan, the character "nun Huyen Trang" is a role she cannot forget. She feels proud to be part of a classic Vietnamese film at that time, whose important contribution cannot be ignored except for director Long Van.
Meritorious Artist Thanh Loan also said that she considers the role of nun Huyen Trang as the last role in her acting career because no matter what role she plays, no other role can surpass this classic role.
Director Long Van was born in 1936 in Hanoi, then he and his family followed the resistance to Thai Nguyen .
At the age of 14, director Long Van was sent to Nanning, China to study. In 1955, he graduated from the teacher training college and worked as a teacher until later switching to cinema.
He belongs to the generation of directors who matured before 1975. After graduating, he spent 15 years working as an assistant director for senior directors such as Pham Ky Nam, Huy Thanh, Bach Diep, Nong Ich Dat...
His first film as a director was The Call Forward in 1979, written by writer Phu Thang, which won an award at the Moscow International Film Festival, followed by the films The Meeting Place of Love and For All Tomorrow.
However, it was not until Saigon Special Forces - the first color film of Vietnamese cinema, released in 1985, that the name Long Van became known to everyone.
The film brought actors such as Thuong Tin (as Sau Tam), Thanh Loan (as nun Huyen Trang), Bui Quang Thai (Tu Chung), Ha Xuyen (Ngoc Mai), Hai Nhat (Ba Can) to the top, becoming familiar faces to the audience.
After Saigon Special Forces , director Long Van also made more films See You Again Saigon, Liberation of Saigon...
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