Who is the character Uncle Ba Phi played by Tran Thanh in the movie Southern Forest Land?

Southern people in particular and the whole of Vietnam in general have more or less heard of the name "Uncle Ba Phi". He appears in many stories and documents related to Southern culture.

In it, Uncle Ba Phi is portrayed as a middle-aged man living in the river region of Ca Mau. He has a talent for telling jokes and "telling lies". In addition, Uncle Ba Phi is also portrayed as a kind and generous person, so he is loved by many generations of Southern people.

In fact, the image of Uncle Ba Phi in folklore stories and documents was based on the real-life prototype of Mr. Nguyen Long Phi. Mr. Long Phi was the eldest son of a family of 5 children living in Dong Thap, he was born in 1884.

Image of Uncle Ba Phi in real life prototype.

At the age of 10, due to war and chaos, Long Phi and his family were exiled to the coastal area of Ca Mau. Later, he gradually returned to the U Minh region and became a tenant farmer for the village chief Te.

After several years of living with his wife's family, Long Phi became married to the daughter of Huong Quan Te, Ba Lu. From then on, his name was associated with his wife's family rank, becoming Ba Phi.

As a pioneer in the U Minh region, and having experienced many ups and downs, Uncle Ba Phi has a lot of life experience, a resilient spirit and the generosity typical of the people of the South. In particular, he is also described as having outstanding talent in traditional music and storytelling.

His stories often mentioned the lives of Southern people at that time but were exaggerated to increase humor and wit.

Until now, many stories bearing the "brand" of Uncle Ba Phi are still passed down among the people such as: Sticky Rice, Tiger Grinding Rice, Frog Fishing, Climbing a Chili Tree and Breaking a Leg...

Not only was he naturally talented, Uncle Ba Phi was also loved for his generous personality and willingness to help the poor. In 1942, Uncle Ba Phi voluntarily donated hundreds of acres of rice fields to the Party and the State to distribute to the poor for cultivation, leaving only a few acres for his family to make a living.

Uncle Ba Phi passed away on December 6, 1964 in Duong Ranh hamlet, Khanh Hai commune, Tran Van Thoi district, now Kenh Ngang, Lung Tram hamlet, Khanh Hai commune, Tran Van Thoi district, Ca Mau province.

In 2003, Mr. Ba Phi was posthumously awarded the title of Folk Artist by the Vietnam Folk Arts Association and the Medal "For the Cause of Folk Arts".

The tomb of Uncle Ba Phi and his two wives in Ca Mau.

The image of the character Uncle Ba Phi has appeared in many famous works, including the novel Uncle Ba Phi by writer Anh Dong and especially the image of the middle-aged man, simple and honest but with the ability to talk charmingly, Ba Phi in the novel Southern Forest Land by Doan Gioi.

Later, the novel was made into a TV series called Southern Land . In the film, although he was only a supporting character, the image of Uncle Ba Phi portrayed by artist Mac Can was deeply imprinted in the audience's memory, becoming a beloved character, not inferior to the main character.

Uncle Ba Phi performed by artist Mac Can.

Most recently, director Nguyen Quang Dung released a movie called Southern Forest Land and the role of Uncle Ba Phi was given to Tran Thanh.

However, although the film has not yet been released, the audience has reacted quite harshly to the role of Uncle Ba Phi being assigned to the actor born in 1987. The public thinks that the actor is too young, and has a plump appearance that does not match the image of Uncle Ba Phi, experienced and simple in the literary treasure and in the imagination of many people.

In addition, the character of Uncle Ba Phi in the TV series Dat Phuong Nam , played by artist Mac Can, was so excellent that he became a monument in the hearts of many audiences. This makes it difficult for any young artist who plays the role of Uncle Ba Phi to win over the public.

In addition, because of many private scandals, Tran Thanh did not receive a sympathetic view from a part of the audience. Therefore, assigning the role of a simple, generous person, considered a cultural symbol of the Southern people, to this actor was also considered inappropriate.

Uncle Ba Phi's image is portrayed by Tran Thanh.

However, according to director Nguyen Quang Dung, the character of Uncle Ba Phi has many points that match Tran Thanh's image and personality.

"The character of Uncle Ba Phi is a very talkative person, with funny stories, stories that people think are real, stories that people think are not, but the stories all have their own meaning and philosophy, so I think Thanh is a very suitable person" - Director of the film Southern Forest said.

An Nguyen

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