Filling the gap in historical films

After the unexpected fever of Dao, Pho and Piano (director, Meritorious Artist Phi Tien Son) in early 2024, the audience expected Vang Trang Tho Tu (director, Meritorious Artist Ho Ngoc Xum) to be released in the summer of 2024, but the film is still "in storage" due to the distribution process.

This year promises to be more promising when, in addition to Tunnel , there is also Red Rain (director, Meritorious Artist Dang Thai Huyen) and Southern Spring Memory (director, Meritorious Artist Ho Ngoc Xum). Three historical films released in one year can be considered a large number if placed in the context of the market in recent years. However, when compared to the market film genres of horror, comedy, romance... with about 30-40 films released each year, this number is too small.

It is well known that producers are hesitant to make historical films. In addition to the large budget, pressure from public opinion also makes them hesitant. The problem is how to balance the authenticity and appeal of a film, avoiding failures like Legend of King Dinh (2022).

According to the revelation, director Bui Thac Chuyen spent 10 years nurturing the Tunnels, at times it seemed impossible to carry out partly due to the budget, when many big projects such as Bach Dang Giang Victory, Hai Ba Trung, Son Tinh - Thuy Tinh... were planned but remained on paper for a decade. Luckily, the crew found Tunnels investors who did not focus on profit. Investor Nguyen Thanh Nam shared: "We cannot move forward to the future if we do not understand history."

Not only due to the obvious caution and timidity of private filmmakers, historical films are also lacking from state-owned film studios. After the post-equitization crisis, Feature Film Studio I, once the leading bird of Vietnamese revolutionary cinema, has almost stopped producing films regularly. From 2019 to now, in addition to Dao, Pho and Piano , the studio has only had Linh Chien , but this work is inclined towards the post-war period.

In the South, Liberation Film Joint Stock Company (formerly Liberation Film Studio) has also gradually shifted to psychological and social themes with films such as: Exposure, Storm ... The current situation of historical films is both lacking in quantity and weak in quality, causing many people to worry. It cannot be said that Vietnamese audiences have turned their backs on this genre, because foreign works from Hollywood, Korea... are still welcomed in Vietnam.

Many people wish that Vietnamese cinema will have films worthy of the nation's history. This is even more regrettable because in the past, Vietnamese cinema has produced many classic works such as: Parallel 17 Days and Nights, Hanoi Winter 1946, Wild Fields, Season of Monsoons, Rising Wind, When Will October Come, Hanoi 12 Days and Nights, Hanoi Baby, Dong Loc Junction, Don't Burn, Those Who Write Legendary Stories ...

Ho Chi Minh City is organizing a vote for 50 outstanding literary and artistic works, aiming to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Liberation of the South and the reunification of the country. In the field of cinema, many classic films such as: Wild Field, Flip Card, Far and Near, Saigon Special Forces ... are on the list, a worthy honor. This also sets a responsibility for today's generation of filmmakers: not only making films about the past, but also looking towards the future.

Ho Chi Minh City is also reviewing applications to join the UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN) in the field of cinema. Realizing the dream of a cinema city requires the cooperation of the whole community. Socializing cinema has been successful in Ho Chi Minh City, but to create a stronger impression, especially with historical films, close coordination in public-private cooperation is very important and necessary.

VAN TUAN

Source: https://www.sggp.org.vn/lap-khoang-trong-phim-lich-su-post788325.html