Family members of the recovering addicts at the New Life Christian Centre. (Photo: VNA) The awards include the Critics’ Choice Award at the World Film Carnival -Singapore; and the Knight of the Reel Awards, the Luis Bunuel Memorial Awards,the Gangtok International Film Festival, the Virgin Spring Cinefest, and the CalcuttaInternational Cult Film Festival, all in India.
The documentary chronicles the lives of a number heroin addictscaught in an ever decreasing spiral of drugs, crime and desperation.
But thanks to an unlikely source, the addicts managed to kick the habit, andslowly rebuild their lives much to the delight of their families who haveendured a life of disappointment and anguish.
The 60-minute documentary has been recognised by judges of filmfestivals in India and Singapore where it has been screened and won top prizes.
Jointly directed by Ngo Kim Anh, Nguyen Huu Trung and PaulKennedy and filmed by young cameraman Ha Van Quynh, Walking through the valley of death followsthe lives of a number of addicts living in Hanoi and Quang Ninh. For years manyof them stooped to new lows in order to feed their addictions.
In this honest and revealing production, they open their hearts to discuss howthey brought shame to their families, stealing money set aside to raise theirown children to spend on drugs.
With many HIV positive, they struggled to see light at the end of the tunnel, tryingand failing over and over again to quit drugs through rehabilitation centres.
Eventually they found salvation through an unlikely source, the power ofprayer.
Director Paul Kennedy said: “While it is obviously a great privilege to haveour work praised by peers in the film industry, what brings us the most joy isbeing able to highlight the plight and pain of the addicts featured to aninternational audience.
“Addiction to hardcore drugs is a huge problem all over the world. And this wasour opportunity to shine a positive light on the problem and look at theamazing work carried out to drag people out of their pain and suffering.
“And it’s not just the addicts themselves. It’s also their families andloved-ones who suffer.”
Director Trung said: “The documentary does not focus on drug addiction butemphasises the burning desire to be saved of those who fell into the viciouscircle of drugs and crime. Drugs made their desire hopeless and helpless. But amiracle came, saving them and now it’s their turn to save others who had asimilar past and share that same burning desire.”
“What’s key in their rehabilitation is the approach taken by theNew Life Christian Centre,” Assistant Director Nguyen Xuan Hung said.
“Instead of being under lock and key, they were left to their own devices towork on their addiction, channeling support from other addicts in the samesituation or former drug users who had managed to get themselves clean.
“It’s their honestly and transparency that has helped to make Walking through the valley of death asuccess. They and their family members, wives, mothers, and fathers, that arethe real stars of our documentary.”
One of the challenges faced by the documentary crew was bringing to life themoments of despair and heartache shared by the addicts.
Director Kennedy said: “Obviously we were unable to recreate some of the moreharrowing accounts discussed by the addicts.
“Like the mother talking about how she wished she was a worm so she could crawlinto the ground and die, or the addict recounting how he stole money set asidefor milk for his new born baby to spend on drugs.
“The movie was really interesting and exciting and it has been a truemotivation for other filmmakers across the globe,” wrote the GangtokInternational Film Festival organisers.
Meanwhile, a quote from the World Film Carnival - Singapore says“You have snatched away the Winner position from the crowd of hundreds ofpromising filmmakers across the globe.
“You carved the rocks to make a sculpture that resembles yourachievement. Your hard work really pays off.”
The documentary is currently being considered for morescreenings and awards at 10 film festivals./.
VNA
