Meritorious Artist Pham Viet Tung and the story behind the priceless footage of April 30, 1975

(Dan Tri) - "I am honored to witness the glorious historical event of the nation: the South was completely liberated, the country was reunited!", Meritorious Artist Pham Viet Tung shared.

Meritorious Artist, Director Pham Viet Tung was one of the few war correspondents present at the Independence Palace at the great historical moment of the nation - when the Saigon government cabinet surrendered to the Liberation Army on April 30, 1975. Having gone through two wars, at the age of U90, director - Meritorious Artist Pham Viet Tung still maintains an extremely enthusiastic and passionate voice. He passionately told Dan Tri reporters about the time when he carried a camera on his shoulder as a weapon to the battlefield, about the stories behind the priceless documentary films and unforgettable memories, the tragic lives in the scene of bombs and bullets...

Dear Director - Meritorious Artist Pham Viet Tung, after 49 years since the liberation of the South and the reunification of the country (April 30, 1975 - April 30, 2024), how do you feel when you recall that historic moment? - When I arrived at the Independence Palace, the last stronghold of the puppet government, I was extremely moved and happy because I knew I was not dead. At that time, I thought, my ancestors had contributed a lot of strength to the wars against foreign invaders, so many generations had sacrificed, not knowing what independence and freedom were, but we knew that feeling. I was honored to witness the glorious historical event of the nation: the South was completely liberated, the country was reunited! I was very happy because I thought that my children and grandchildren would no longer have to suffer, they could study, be literate like everyone else, from now on the people would be independent and free. At that historic moment, the people of the North and the South hugged each other with joy. Some people laughed, but some were sad and cried because they could not find their brothers in their homes. In particular, the faces of the students of Saigon - Gia Dinh shone with joy and pride. Those emotions were encapsulated in the footage I made. At that historic moment, he filmed priceless footage of Saigon on the first day of liberation. Can you tell us about the memories, difficulties and unforgettable stories when making those films? - I did not encounter any difficulties in the process of working to record the footage of the first days of Saigon's liberation, the only difference was in the selective perspective. I went to the Independence Palace. Because I was from the North, I asked the students to take me there and pay for the gas. On the way, I asked a friend of mine: "Nguyen, what is the clearest expression of victory now?". Although my friend did not answer in time, I thought that during the war, when they lost, they threw away their guns, but now with the new regime, they will throw away the things of the old regime. So the scene of our tank crushing the three-striped flag of the puppet government was the first film I shot on the first day of liberation, April 30, 1975. At that time, it was very difficult and expensive to shoot color films. However, I was sponsored to shoot and until now, those color films are still very beautiful, not faded. The atmosphere at the Independence Palace on the afternoon of April 30, 1975 was also very different, the people in Saigon rushed out, happy. They wanted to see the faces of the soldiers. The lives of the people of Saigon when they were just liberated were very chaotic and had many different circumstances. Some were happy, some were miserable, some were released from prison but there were also people who were liberated and did not know where to turn. They were happy to have gained independence, to have driven the imperialists out of the country, but they did not know what the country would be like tomorrow. At that time, I did not think much about myself, only about how the country and its people would live together in harmony after the war. Many families were broken up, and some ran back and forth, never to see each other again. But above all, there was pain and loss, but in the end, our people still shared the joy of victory.

When mentioning director, Meritorious Artist Pham Viet Tung and his priceless documentary films, we cannot help but mention the image of an American B52 plane burning brightly next to the TV tower at 58 Quan Su in 1972. How did you film that image? What were your feelings when you recalled the 12 days and nights of Dien Bien Phu in the air? - The sacred Hanoi of those days was immersed in a scene of "earth shaking, roof tiles breaking, bricks crumbling" but always exuded a heroic spirit. At the end of 1972 at the Paris Conference, the US side declared that "peace was at hand" making us optimistic that the Vietnam War would end. However, the US turned its back on us, using B52s to bomb Hanoi and several cities in Northern Vietnam. At that time, I was working at the Television Department (under the Voice of Vietnam Radio ), among those who stayed in Hanoi to carry out the mission, while the order to completely evacuate the entire city was urgently implemented. At that time, shrapnel was falling on the roofs, not knowing whether we would live or die, but I was still determined to film the heroic battle of the army and people of Hanoi. My colleagues and I, regardless of the danger, were present on the rooftops of high-rise buildings while swarms of American planes were bombing the city. One of the locations I chose to film was the water tower on the roof of the Hoa Binh Hotel (Hanoi) now. I still remember, on the cold winter night of December 27, 1972, I used a scarf to tie myself to the railing of the water tower, and together with the camera assistant Dac Luong, waited under the rain of bombs that was shaking the entire city. I pointed the camera towards the Khuyen Luong ferry, where our missiles and anti-aircraft guns were fiercely pouring fire into the sky, filled with the roar of American planes. Suddenly, Dac Luong shouted: "Mr. Tung. It's over here, Mr. Tung!". Everything happened in a split second, so I didn't have time to aim, I just reflexively pressed and adjusted the camera towards the camera assistant's hand. So the image of the B52 bomber like a giant fireball in the sky of Hanoi was captured in my view for a few seconds, then it fell down towards Hoang Hoa Tham street.

That was also the "key scene" in the movie " Hanoi - Dien Bien Phu", can you share more about this movie? - At first, I thought that if I wanted to use the phrase "Dien Bien Phu", I would definitely have to ask for General Vo Nguyen Giap's permission. So I registered to meet the General. After hearing me present my idea of ​​making a documentary called Hanoi - Dien Bien Phu about the war against the American invaders in the North and the capital Hanoi with B52 bombers, the General walked slowly around the large conference table, thought for a few seconds, then said: "Agreed! Hanoi - Dien Bien Phu "! So the precious footage in which I denounced the crimes of the American invaders carpet bombing our capital, created the movie Hanoi - Dien Bien Phu . The movie won the Special Prize at the International Film Festival in Czechoslovakia in 1974. Later, did you also film at the northern border battlefield? - As my colleagues at Voice of Vietnam say, I was good at avoiding bombs and bullets, so I was assigned to Cao Bang to work during the Northern border war in 1979. I crossed the forest, from Tai Ho Sin to Dong Khe, That Khe. The weather was cold, drizzling, and there were countless leeches. I was hungry and thirsty, but luckily I had an assistant cameraman with me. I had to keep my film backpack carefully, so it wouldn't get damp. After that, I was assigned to Ai Nam Quan. We were hungry but still held our breath to film.

As a cinematographer who grew up in the flames of war, entering the war as a "visual historian", surely every step through the battlefield always left him with unforgettable memories, including the most painful ones? - There are so many, I don't know when I'll be able to tell them all. I still remember in 1975, the entire Voice of Vietnam had 3 groups of reporters and editors going to the South. For example, Mrs. To Uyen and Mr. Huynh Van Tieng - Vice President of the Vietnam Journalists Association - had just gotten married and got in the car to go to the South to film and considered it their honeymoon. At that time, we went without knowing when we would return, nor knowing whether we would live or die, but everyone was proud that "we are descendants of Uncle Ho", determined to go, we must do something. On the way to the South, both sides were still fighting. We traveled day and night, the enemy destroyed the bridges so we had to go around the cliffs, then put rocks to block the car to get through. Bombs were fierce, there were no houses above ground, we had to sleep in the bunkers. The crew had many editors, few filmers, our mission was to record images, the truth. All our clothes were wet but we still had to wear the camera, to keep it dry. If the camera got wet or broke, when we got to the South, there would be nothing to film and the trip would be meaningless. Therefore, everyone was afraid of death but we still had to go so that today we could have independence and freedom for the country. I thought, at that time, I could die but I could also live to be proud that I had contributed a small part to the victory. That was in 1967, a beautiful student at Hanoi Medical University, named Ngo Thi Ngoc Tuong, examined patients in the suburbs. Five years later, she was preparing to get married, and had sent out red invitations to her friends and relatives. But tragically, exactly one day before the wedding, on her way from Bach Mai Hospital to her home in the Lo Duc area, she was killed by an American bomb. The family brought her body home, the wedding dress became a shroud. The wedding invitations were tattered in the gloomy house. In the midst of that tragic situation, the belief in victory still radiated. Or in 1968, I was present at the Vinh Linh battlefield, the place that was most heavily bombed by the American imperialists, to film. On the way to film, I met 10 girls at the Dong Loc T-junction. But when I returned from filming, they had all sacrificed themselves. That is one of the most painful memories that I remember.

It is known that Meritorious Artist Pham Viet Tung was the first cameraman of Vietnam Television who was lucky enough to hold a camera and follow President Ho Chi Minh. What memories and teachings of Uncle Ho made you emotional and unforgettable? - Uncle Ho always taught us: "Culture and art are a front, a journalist is a soldier on that front". Every journalist must improve their qualifications, whatever they do must come from the people, serve the people. Uncle Ho also always created conditions to help those who filmed and took pictures. Sometimes Uncle Ho asked: "Do you have enough film? If you don't have enough film, I will go back and let you film". Uncle Khanh Du was the person who filmed Uncle Ho during his trip to the Soviet Union. Uncle Ho always went first, the cameraman and assistant followed, but to have beautiful photos and films, the cameraman and photographer had to go first. Uncle Ho knew that the cameraman could not film, so he said: "Child, you couldn't film just now? I was walking too fast, so you couldn't film, right? Then Uncle Ho got back in the car and got off so you could film." Then Uncle Ho showed which scene to film, how to film to show the political nature, national pride, and Vietnam's equality with the world. Or once, Uncle Ho held a Government Council meeting in a dark room. With the naked eye, everyone could still meet, but if we filmed, we couldn't film because there wasn't enough light. At that time, Uncle Ho told the men to climb up to the roof, remove some leaves, and when the light came in, we could film right away. Saying that shows that Uncle Ho understood the profession very well and was close to us, the cameramen. Or once, the women from the Women's Association for National Salvation saw Uncle Ho asking to mend his shirt, but it was too worn out, so they made him a new one, but Uncle Ho firmly refused to use it. He kept it until he met with outstanding elders, then he gave it to them. As for cadres, Uncle Ho always advised: "Serve the revolution, do a lot, but talk about your achievements with the revolution, talk about them less." According to you, what decided you to become an excellent "visual historian"? - I love my job very much and spend a lot of time on my career, so I got married late. In my life, I have made hundreds of films, each film must choose the right perspective that people in the country and the world are interested in. There must be a connection to the present for my films to have long-term value. And especially, there must be a critical nature. Whatever I say must be explained.

Are you haunted by the things you experienced during the war? - Actually, there are nights when I lie down and suddenly wake up because I remember the sound of bombs, then think about the scenes I experienced during my work, feeling proud because I had a small contribution to the war to protect the Fatherland. Sometimes we also "feel angry" because there are people who return from the war and are not properly rewarded. They endure hardships to fight the enemy and protect the Fatherland, which is a worthy thing to do. But when they return, life is difficult, people do not know where to rely on. Then I think, in the past, our grandparents had to sacrifice and suffer so much to have peace , even though they suffered, they were still proud, but nowadays... there are "things that hurt when you see them". The war is over, but when you look back at the documentary footage and stories you witnessed, what topics about war do you still cherish? - I want to tell the story of a woman named Nhan (in Dong Anh, Hanoi), who is still alive. Her life was unfortunate when she got married not long ago, before she had time to know how their love life was, he died from a B52 bomb. 26 years ago, I met her and heard that very sad story. The story itself is the most convincing condemnation of war, without needing to tell more about bombs or bullets or whether we won, the enemy lost... At the age of U90, how can Meritorious Artist Pham Viet Tung still exude clarity, a hearty, enthusiastic and passionate voice, without any appearance of a person at that "rare" age? - Truly, even though I had to go through hardships and dangers to get each film during the war, I am still proud and happy that the smoke, fire and bullets have forged in cameramen like me a fierce spirit, an artistic ego full of personality. Having gone through two wars, at this age I feel happy because now I can still work, without resting. I still work as a historical advisor for young people who are passionate about television because I always keep in mind "giving is receiving", never thinking about the loss or gain. Occasionally, I still go to talk and exchange experiences with officials and reporters of central and local television stations such as Vietnam Television, Ho Chi Minh City Television, Tuyen Quang Radio and Television ... to help me "miss my job". As for life, in peacetime or wartime, there is always struggle, struggle to become a good person, gradually eliminating the bad. I raise my children to be decent people and that is the greatest happiness of a father. Sincerely thank you for sharing!

Design: Huu Bach

Content: Huong Ho

05/01/2024 - 06:11

Dantri.com.vn

Source: https://dantri.com.vn/van-hoa/nsut-pham-viet-tung-va-cau-chuyen-sau-cac-thuoc-phim-vo-gia-ngay-3041975-20240429135935401.htm