Producedby the Vietnam Film Studio, the film depicts a group of young peoplewho travel to Dien Bien after getting a strong impression throughdocumentaries and images about the historical battle of Dien Bien Phu.
Duringthe journey, the group ends up traveling back in time to becomesoldiers and civilian workers, getting a firsthand look at the hardshipsof battle and the determined spirit of the whole nation.
"We'vetried our best to offer the most truthful angle on the historical battleof Dien Bien Phu. I don't want to talk too much about my creation. Letthe audience judge it," said director and People's Artist Nguyen ThanhVan.
Among tens of films made to celebrate the 60th anniversaryof the Dien Bien Phu historical victory, the 21 billion VND (1 millionUSD) movie is the only full-length narrative feature.
The crewspent two months filming the movie in the northern mountainous provincesof Yen Bai, Hoa Binh, Son La, Dien Bien and Thanh Hoa. They had to copewith many difficulties, such as finding suitable crops.
Toreplicate the battlefield where Vietnamese soldiers exchanged fire withFrench military forces, Van and his crew needed a tank that could move.
"Wedidn't expect to find a functioning tank, just a movable one. But wedidn't have any other option than a tank that was featured in the movieHoa Ban Do (Red Ban Flower) 20 years ago and in Ky Uc Dien Bien (DienBien Memory) 10 years ago," Van said. "Although it can't run, its barrelcan still move. To make the tank fire, the props team has theirtricks."
Nguyen Ba Hung, a Hanoi University of Business andTechnology student who attended the debut screening, said he wasfascinated by historical movies and this was no exception.
"I wasimpressed by the way the director depicted the historical event througha journey by young people. This may help the movie attract youngviewers," Hung said.
Nguyen Thi Phuong Anh, a student at the National Economics University, felt inspired by the ordinary women in the movie.
"Ayoung woman who insists on joining the troupe of voluntary civilianworkers, expecting to meet her husband on the frontlines, or a younggirl willing to cut off her long hair to disguise herself as a man soshe can join the military troupe – for me, they are also heroines," shesaid.
The movie will be screened free of charge from April 26 to 30 at the National Cinema Centre.-VNA