Recreating the 'land of fire' on screen

Some typical works of Vietnamese revolutionary cinema set in Military Zone 4 , such as: "Parallel 17 - Day and Night" (1972, script by Hoang Tich Chi, director by Hai Ninh) depicts the life and fighting of the people of Vinh Linh, Quang Tri during the period of national division; "Dong Loc Intersection" (1997, script by Nguyen Quang Vinh, director by Luu Trong Ninh) recreates the heroic sacrifice of 10 female youth volunteers; "Doi Cat" (1999, script by Nguyen Quang Lap, director by Nguyen Thanh Van) brings a humane perspective on the consequences of war on people; “The Scent of Burning Grass” (2011, script by Hoang Nhuan Cam, director Nguyen Huu Muoi) recreates the heroic fight of young soldiers who were Hanoi students at Quang Tri Citadel in 1972... These films are not only classic cinematographic works but also valuable historical documents, helping future generations better understand the sacrifices and losses of their ancestors during the war on the heroic land of Military Region 4.

Images on the set of the movie "The Scent of Burning Grass". Photo: PHAM THANH HA

Although it used to be a main film genre, the number of films on the subject of the Armed Forces and Military History, especially those set in Military Zone 4, is increasingly scarce. The first reason that can be mentioned is the changing market trend when currently, commercial films and entertainment films dominate. Large production costs are also a significant barrier when making films on this topic, which requires high investment. Private producers are hesitant to invest in films on the subject of the Armed Forces and Military History because it is difficult to recover capital. Meanwhile, the state budget for cinema is not strong enough to create large-scale works. The change in audience tastes is also an important factor when young audiences have less exposure to history and tend to be interested in topics closer to current life. At the same time, films on the subject of the Armed Forces and Military History ordered by the State have not focused on promotion and communication, making it even more difficult to reach audiences. The generation of directors and screenwriters good at this subject is increasingly rare.

To have more quality films set in Military Zone 4 during the war against the US, there needs to be synchronous solutions and coordination from many sources. First of all, there needs to be support from the State through stronger investment policies for films on the theme of the armed forces and the People's Armed Forces, especially projects with high historical and artistic value. In addition, it is necessary to call for socialized capital by combining the state budget with the participation of enterprises and private organizations to have a large enough production budget. Innovating the way of storytelling is also an important direction, when films on the theme of the armed forces and the People's Armed Forces do not necessarily have to be heavy on propaganda but need to have a new approach, deeply exploiting human factors and the psychology of characters during the war and post-war. In addition, it is now possible to apply modern filmmaking technology such as using CGI and special effects to realistically recreate battles without having to invest too much in real settings. A feasible solution is to encourage the young generation of filmmakers through organizing script competitions, supporting the training of young directors and screenwriters so that they can access and create on historical stories. Bringing films on the topic of military and defense to online platforms such as Netflix, Galaxy Play, VieON... also helps films reach young audiences more conveniently.

Currently, a film project on the theme of the Armed Forces - CTCM set in Military Zone 4 is being completed to be released to celebrate major holidays, the film "Red Rain" (directed by Dang Thai Huyen) produced by the People's Army Cinema. This promises to be a successful film, with a thorough and elaborate investment, worthy of continuing the tradition of Vietnamese revolutionary cinema on the theme of Military Zone 4.

Military Zone 4 in the resistance war against the US to save the country is an important part of the history of the nation and Vietnamese revolutionary cinema. Although the number of films on the theme of the armed forces and the revolutionary cinema is still modest, with proper investment, new approaches and the combination of art and technology, Vietnamese cinema can absolutely continue to produce valuable works about this land, contributing to preserving and spreading the spirit of patriotism to future generations.

According to People's Army

Source: https://baoangiang.com.vn/tai-hien-mien-dat-lua-tren-man-anh-a418625.html