Continuing the tradition of historical films.

Businessman Nguyen Thanh Nam, one of the investors in the film "Underground Tunnels: The Sun in the Darkness," had hoped that if the film was commercially successful, it would spark interest in films about revolutionary war among investors.

Positive premise

As of the morning of April 22nd, "Tunnels: The Sun in the Darkness" had surpassed 150 billion VND in revenue, becoming the highest-grossing historical and revolutionary war film ever. "The box office success of 'Tunnels: The Sun in the Darkness' makes us film producers very happy. This success will encourage investors to be more daring when investing in historical films," shared Ms. Ngo Thi Bich Hanh, representative of BHD Productions, the company that recently announced the project "Guardian of the Valiant Warriors: The Mystery of King Dinh's Tomb ."

Ms. Ngo Thi Bich Hanh also believes that now is the right time to invest in the production of historical films. Taking the film "Guardian of the Heroic Spirit: The Mystery of King Dinh's Tomb" as an example, the project received support from leaders, businesses, and people in Ninh Binh ; it was advised by many historians and a young generation researching history and ancient costumes. Ms. Hanh shared: "What moves us is the strong blossoming love for history among many young people. They are also an important audience group, with a strong desire to watch Vietnamese historical films."

Sharing the same viewpoint, actress and producer Truong Ngoc Anh stated that the success of "The Tunnel: The Sun in the Darkness" is something to be highly appreciated, opening a new direction for historical films and opening doors for those who want to make historical films. She expressed: "In the past, when people heard about historical films, most were afraid that they would be shelved or nobody would watch them. But now, the successes of 'Peach, Pho and Piano,' 'The Tunnel: The Sun in the Darkness ,' etc., show that this genre can be made and can be well-received. Every film will have its flaws, but I believe audiences will still support us if we make serious historical films like these."

The film "Red Rain" promises to recreate the fierce battle at Quang Tri Citadel in 1972. (Photo: DPCC)

This coming September 2nd, audiences will have another opportunity to watch a film on the theme of revolutionary war: "Red Rain" (directed by Meritorious Artist Dang Thai Huyen, written by author Chu Lai). The film is inspired by the 81 days and nights of heroic and tenacious fighting by the people and cadres and soldiers defending Quang Tri Citadel in 1972. Those 81 days and nights have become a legend, one of the most vivid expressions of the Vietnamese people's aspiration for independence, freedom, and national unity during the resistance war against the US to save the country.

Many difficulties need to be overcome.

Producer Bich Hanh shared that the inspiration for "Guardian of the Spirits: The Mystery of King Dinh's Tomb" began about 10 years ago, through the story of a boatman in Trang An. However, when starting the project, the film crew faced countless difficulties, despite it being a historical drama. The budget was large, and locations, props, and costumes were almost non-existent due to the scarcity of historical documents from that period, sometimes making it seem hopeless. The action-martial arts genre further increased the difficulty, requiring the reconstruction of settings and props that were both historically accurate and aesthetically pleasing, suitable for the filming conditions and Vietnamese culture. Filming in challenging terrain such as mountains and rivers was also a major challenge for a large film crew. “One of the biggest challenges right now is finding actors who are passionate about their work, act well, and are also skilled in martial arts. More importantly, they must commit to six months of training and two months of filming to meet the strict requirements of the two directors – something not easy given that the actors are all busy with many projects,” Ms. Bich Hanh said.

This challenge was also something the film crew of "Tunnels: The Sun in the Darkness" experienced. Director Bui Thac Chuyen himself requested that the actors not be allowed to take on other jobs to ensure absolute concentration. Fortunately, during months of preparation and about two months of filming, the actors were completely dedicated to their roles. That's why director Bui Thac Chuyen always shared that those making "Tunnels: The Sun in the Darkness" must always maintain the mindset of a historical filmmaker, being both serious about the enduring values ​​of history and creative, ensuring the artistic and entertainment value of a cinematic work. Sometimes difficulties arose from advantages, such as receiving support with military equipment, but coordinating effectively for each scene required very careful planning and adherence to the script's intentions.

These difficulties were also faced by the film crew of "Red Rain" . In addition to having to contend with harsh weather conditions, the film crew also encountered many challenges in terms of budget, locations, costumes, props, and even staffing.

The success of "The Underground Tunnel: The Sun in the Darkness" demonstrates that, despite being a completely privately produced and funded project, the film still received strong support and close cooperation from various agencies and organizations. This serves as a prime example of public-private partnership as an effective way to overcome challenges in historical films in particular and the field of literature and art in general.

“Public-private partnerships and support from government agencies in various aspects are particularly important for Vietnamese historical and cultural films. Without encouragement and support from government agencies, and seeing the numerous difficulties, producers might not dare to invest in traditional, historical, or revolutionary films,” said Ms. Ngo Thi Bich Hanh, representative of BHD Productions.

VAN TUAN

Source: https://www.sggp.org.vn/viet-tiep-dong-phim-lich-su-post792741.html