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| Red Rain tells the story of young soldiers, including students who left school and volunteered to fight at Quảng Trị battlefield. Photo courtesy of Việt Nam People’s Army Cinema |
HÀ NỘI Mưa Đỏ (Red Rain), a motion picture produced by the Việt Nam People’s Army Cinema, will be released nationwide on August 22.
The fictional war film takes place over 81 days and nights in June-September 1972 and depicts Vietnamese soldiers fighting against US and Sài Gòn troops to protect Quảng Trị Ancient Citadel in the central province of Quảng Trị.
The fierce battle paved the way for Việt Nam’s final victory in the spring of 1975, which liberated the South and reunited the country.
The script was penned by writer Chu Lai in 2010. He is a prolific author who has won the people’s respect for his famous stories about war and the post-war era. He also spent ten years as a member of a special task force of the liberation army in the South during the Anti-American War.
Red Rain was directed by Đặng Thái Huyền and was the largest project produced by the Army Cinema over the last ten years.
“Red Rain is a film in which each character is built with deep gratitude for the generation that sacrificed for peace today,” Huyền said. “Filming in Quảng Trị presents the unique challenge of severe weather conditions. But more than a memory, it is an emotion that will follow us for the rest of our lives.”
Huyền has directed other popular war and post-war movies, including Người Trở Về (The Returner), Đất Lành (Gentle Land) and Vũ Khúc Ánh Trăng (Dance of Moonlight), among others.
She currently works as the deputy director of the Army Cinema. Her film Mười Ba Bến Nước (Thirteen Wharves) won six golden lotus awards at the 16th Việt Nam National Film Festival, including for Best Director.
In Red Rain, the intense and emotional summer of 1972 is told through the eyes of brave soldiers who went to the battlefield with the enthusiasm and energy of youth and all of their faith and passionate patriotism.
Amid the sounds of bombs and bullets, the young soldiers smile brightly and optimistically, while in their rare moments of rest, they write poetry and music as if they are just sitting in class.
Red Rain stars Hứa Vĩ Văn, Đỗ Nhật Hoàng, Hạ Anh, Steven Nguyễn, and Phương Nam in the leading roles. Văn plays Dr Lê, who does not hold a gun but is always walking the line between life and death. He works against the clock to do surgeries, saving lives despite a shortage of medicine. Meanwhile, outside, bombs and bullets continue their rumbling.
“My character has to make split second decisions, with no time to hesitate,” Văn said. “And there are regrettable decisions. I think what the role shows most clearly is the courage and resilience of a medic at war, a soldier without a gun, but who is no less brave.”
Văn is actor who has become popular following several roles in high-grossing movies. He was given the Best Supporting Actor prize at the Golden Kite Awards, Việt Nam’s most prestigious movie awards.
Meanwhile, Hạ Anh’s character is one of a few female roles in the film. She portrays a boat rower on the Thạch Hãn River. Filming reminds her of her maternal grandfather, who sacrificed his life at the Quảng Trị battlefield.
Red Rain also captivates audiences with its finely detailed and intricate settings. Finding locations and building the sets were among the most costly and time consuming tasks, according to the film crew.
In order to identify appropriate sites that faithfully capture the historical setting, the crew surveyed more than ten provinces.
Every small detail, from bricks to paint colours and artefacts, was carefully crafted with historical accuracy in mind. This effort aimed to depict the brutality of war and the indomitable spirit of both soldiers and civilians.
The film crew received strong support from military units, along with thorough preparations for weapons, equipment, props and filming facilities.
Operation rooms, field clinics and troop transport trains were also designed with meticulous attention to historical authenticity and aesthetic values.
Red Rain promises to deliver authentic and profound emotions, helping younger generations understand a heroic chapter in the country’s history. VNS
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