The feature film "The Last Bullet," which chronicles shooter Hoang Xuan Vinh's historic 2016 Olympic gold medal win, was announced at a press conference on 29/6 during the 4th Da Nang Asian Film Festival. Directed by Dinh Tuan Vu, the project is a co-production between Vietnam and South Korea and is slated for release in September this year. It features producer Patrick Park, known for his work on the "Parasite" crew, alongside actors Lee Kyung Young, Lee Jung Eun, Jung Il Woo, Nhan Phuc Vinh, Thanh Huong, and Luong Gia Huy.

The film's team stated that the work goes beyond recounting international glory, exploring the teacher-student bond and the discipline required to reach peak performance. This project marks director Dinh Tuan Vu's longest development period, having commenced in 2019 and spanning nearly seven years. During filming, the crew navigated numerous production adjustments due to the pandemic and other external factors.

The crew of "The Last Bullet," from left: Actors Nhan Phuc Vinh, Lee Kyung Young, Thanh Huong, director Dinh Tuan Vu, actor Luong Gia Huy, producer Patrick Park. Photo: Film crew provided

The team filmed at various locations in both countries, including South Korea, where Hoang Xuan Vinh trained under expert Park Chung Gun. Some scenes were shot in -22 degrees C weather, with Vietnamese actors wearing summer attire to replicate the competition setting. The director noted that the primary challenge was not technical but linguistic, as most of the Korean crew did not speak English. However, professionalism enabled both sides to find common ground.

At the press conference, shooter Hoang Xuan Vinh, who serves as a project consultant, revealed that the film integrates many technical details from the sport of shooting to ensure authenticity. A scene in the film depicts a character using a long stick to light candles, an exercise designed to develop stability, control of movement, breath, and shooting accuracy. He emphasized that these are fundamental elements often unknown to the public. "I hope the film inspires the younger generation about perseverance and the never-give-up spirit," Hoang Xuan Vinh said.

Shooter Hoang Xuan Vinh at the film project announcement press conference on 29/6. Photo: Organizing committee provided

Athlete and Colonel Hoang Xuan Vinh, 52 years old, is a graduate of the Engineer Officer School. At 26, he joined the national shooting team, where he trained and competed for 24 consecutive years. Hoang Xuan Vinh has won dozens of SEA Games gold medals and two World Cup gold medals. In 2016, he made history for Vietnamese sports by winning an Olympic gold medal in the men's 10 m air pistol event, simultaneously breaking a record. At the same Olympic Games in Brazil that year, he also secured a silver medal in the 10 m slow-fire pistol event.

After the Tokyo 2021 Olympics, Xuan Vinh retired from competition and transitioned to a coaching role with the Vietnamese national shooting team. By the end of 2023, he departed the national team to become the head of the shooting department at the Military Sports Center, under the Ministry of National Defense.

Shooter Hoang Xuan Vinh with the shooting gold medal from the 2016 Olympics. Photo: Provided by subject

Dinh Tuan Vu, 36 years old, won the Best Director award at the 2015 Golden Kite Awards for his film "Cuoc doi cua Yen". He has also directed several feature films, including "Va anh se tro lai", "Chu oi, dung lay me con", "Truyen thuyet ve Quan Tien", and the television series "Nha minh la lam". His most recent work is "Oc muon hon", starring Miss Tieu Vy.

Cat Tien