A program featuring 17 representative works, including feature films, documentaries, and short films, selected from the post-1975 period to the present, will be showcased. Among the films screened, "Red Rain" and "Air Battle" are highlights, representing a new face for Vietnamese cinema. These two projects reflect innovative efforts in subject matter, production scale, and narrative style.
"Red Rain" is Vietnam's submission for the Best International Feature Film category at next year's Oscars. Written by author Chu Lai, the film is set in 1972, when the Liberation Army of Southern Vietnam had fully taken Quang Tri province, a temporary demarcation line between the North and South. Having lost a strategic base and facing the risk of losing Thua Thien province, the US supplied additional equipment to the Republic of Vietnam Army to counterattack and retake Quang Tri, especially the ancient citadel area, to pressure for a favorable peace agreement. After one month in theaters, the film attracted over 8,1 million viewers, making it the highest-grossing film in domestic box office history. In its final days, the film maintained approximately 8-10 screenings in major cinemas, all consistently selling out. By 28/9, the project had achieved a revenue of 710 billion VND, becoming the most successful film.
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In "Red Rain", actor Do Nhat Hoang (left) plays Cuong, facing off against Quang (played by Steven Nguyen). Photo: Film crew provided |
"Air Battle" draws inspiration from a hijacking incident that shocked Vietnamese aviation history in 1978. Long (Thai Hoa) leads a group of accomplices, disguised as passengers, who conceal weapons to board flight HVN 602. The group takes two flight attendants (Kaity Nguyen and Tram Anh) hostage, threatens the pilots in the cockpit, and is ready to eliminate anyone who stands in their way.
The selection also includes many films that have made their mark both domestically and internationally, such as "Bao gio cho den thang Muoi" (When the Tenth Month Comes), "Canh dong hoang" (The Abandoned Field), "Bi dung so" (Bi, Don't Be Afraid), "Nhung dua tre trong suong" (Children of the Mist), "Cu li khong bao gio khoc" (Culi Never Cries), and "Toi thay hoa vang tren co xanh" (Yellow Flowers on the Green Grass). The event is organized by the Vietnamese Association for Film Development Promotion and AVSE Global, under the patronage of the Vietnamese Embassy in France. The film week will run from 5/12 to 12/12 at Le Grand Rex, Europe's largest cinema. In addition to film screenings, the program features a comprehensive photo exhibition on Vietnamese cinema, discussions between audiences and filmmakers, and a workshop on Vietnam-France film cooperation.
Vietnamese ambassador to France Dinh Toan Thang stated that the event brings together cultural activists, experts, directors, producers, actors, and artists from Vietnam and abroad, aiming to promote film cooperation.
Que Chi
