Promoting historical films and literary adaptations to elevate Vietnamese cinema

(CLO) On November 9, in Hanoi , the workshop “Developing the production of films exploiting historical themes and adapted from literary works”, part of the 7th Hanoi International Film Festival, attracted many discussions from filmmakers, writers and film experts. This is considered a fertile ground for Vietnamese cinema to make its mark and arouse national pride.

Fertile land but not fully exploited

Workshop on “Developing historical film production and adapting literary works” on November 9.

Deputy Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Ta Quang Dong, Head of the Steering Committee of the Hanoi International Film Festival, emphasized: "Literary and historical works are an endless source of inspiration not only for Vietnamese cinema but also for the world."

He pointed out that, for every five international films, one is adapted from literature, while in Vietnam, although there have been outstanding works such as “Chi Tu Hau” (from the short story “A story copied in the hospital” by Bui Duc Ai), “Mother away from home” (from the short story of the same name by Nguyen Thi) or “Ben khong chong” (from the work of writer Duong Huong), the number is still limited compared to the potential.

Regarding historical themes, Vietnamese revolutionary cinema has had notable works such as “Sao thang am”, “Ha noi mua dong 1946”, “Vi tuyen 17 ngay va dem”, “Nguyen Ai Quoc o Hong Kong”… or contemporary cinema also has many famous works such as “Long Thanh cam gia ca”, “Nhung nguoi viet huyen thoai”, “Mui co cham” and especially recently “Dao, pho va piano”…

Deputy Minister Ta Quang Dong also expressed concern that young audiences are turning to foreign historical films, with carefully crafted and elaborately invested works. According to him, this is a challenge but also a motivation for Vietnamese filmmakers to promote this genre of film, bringing authentic and rich experiences about Vietnamese history.

Breakthrough Innovation – Breaking the Limits

Attending the workshop, poet Nguyen Quang Thieu, Chairman of the Vietnam Writers Association , shared that making historical films and adapting them requires creativity, not just copying. He stated that a successful film is when the director both maintains the spirit of the original work and adds depth to the characters and story.

The Chairman of the Vietnam Writers Association emphasized that being bound to the original makes filmmakers worry about public reaction, thereby limiting creativity and breakthroughs in the work.

Director Charlie Nguyen, who has participated in the production of many historical films, agrees with this point of view and shares that in order to truly create a work that touches people's hearts, directors need to do in-depth research on characters, history, and especially connect the characters' emotions with modern life, avoiding deification while still maintaining historical values.

This, according to him, is a necessary professional ethic for every filmmaker.

Difficulties from cost to audience acceptance

Making historical films and adaptations not only requires creative thinking but also large financial resources, according to producer Nguyen Trinh Hoan.

He said that the cost of restoring the setting, costumes, and props to recreate history is a huge challenge, while this type of film is not easy to recover capital.

Along with that, director Vo Thanh Hoa emphasized that the State needs to have preferential tax policies, support loans and create favorable conditions for facilities and film studios so that this film genre can develop more strongly.

Free screening of the film "Peach, Pho and Piano" on the occasion of the 70th anniversary of the Liberation of the Capital - Photo: Producer

Learning from the World: A Chinese Perspective

As one of the experts in this field, Mr. Qian Zhongyuan, Production Director of As One Production (China), shared his experience in producing historical films in China, where filmmakers are supported with funding, expert advice and local authorities also actively support filming.

Mr. Qian said, “Historical films need to respect the truth and have creative space, helping to broaden the audience’s perspective and thinking about a cultural period.” This method helps historical films not only retain their original values ​​but also be entertaining and popular.

Future direction – Cinema connects national pride

Associate Professor Dr. Bui Hoai Son, Standing Member of the National Assembly's Committee on Culture and Education, emphasized the role of historical films and adaptations in enhancing national pride.

He called for support from filmmakers, producers and audiences. The government, he said, could commission films about major anniversaries and organize historical writing camps to encourage the development of this genre.

The workshop ended with many opinions and expectations, opening up a promising future for historical films and literary adaptations in Vietnam. This is not only an important field in the development of cinema, but also a bridge to help audiences get closer to the culture and history of the country, enriching national pride.

Hoai Anh

Source: https://www.congluan.vn/thuc-day-phim-lich-su-va-chuyen-the-van-hoc-chia-khoa-de-nang-tam-dien-anh-viet-post320681.html