Better historical films for Viet Nam
Ha Nguyen
Viet Nam News
Publication Date : 09-07-2008






The digital clock, set up to record the countdown to the Ha Noi's 1,000th birthday on Oct 10, 2010, is ticking away on schedule but plans, however, are not all following suit. One of these, the production of a film about the king who established Ha Noi as the nation’s capital, still faces many difficulties, said Le Tien Tho, deputy minister of culture, sports and tourism.
Tho, who is also head of the steering committee for production of films to honour Thang Long-Ha Noi’s 1,000th anniversary, urged the Ha Noi authorities who have invested in the project to ensure that production follows a strict schedule.
"We (the ministry) have already assigned the department of cinematography and the Viet Nam Feature Film Studio to actively prepare for the project and ensure that the studio improves the film’s script and finalises its budget estimate.
"We also need to bring on board an experienced foreign professional whose expertise in cinema will enhance the project. This will bring quality to the film even though the cost will be very high," said Tho.
While Tho supports the making of this film, especially because it is important to preserve and celebrate the nation’s history, he asked the filmmakers to adhere to the government’s calls to tighten budgets and not waste money on unnecessary ventures.
"We should redefine the scale and time that is needed to produce the film King Ly Cong Uan. The Ha Noi authorities need to clearly decentralise the rights of the related agencies so that everyone can progress on the project.
"The Viet Nam Feature Film Studio needs to define the general director or main director of the project or come up with a group of directors to head it. It should also make specific regulations for the group [so there is no confusion on responsibilities and tasks assigned to each person]," Tho said, adding that this will end the debate on whether the project should go ahead or not due to its high expenditure.
Tho told participants: "We need to make high-quality historical films for the younger generation so that they can better understand where we come from.
"We will make a grave error if we fail to make this film, as we owe it to the people to record this important period of our history."
Problem of quality
"Many today feel that Vietnamese historical films lack the creativity to inspire. They remain monotone, their aesthetic qualities leaving much to be desired when compared to films from neighbouring countries like China and South Korea," said Dr Ngo Phuong Lan, head of Viet Nam cinematography’s arts office.
What is to blame for this creativity deficit? Inadequate funding? Poorly-written scripts? Or is it a lack of vision on the part of directors?
Lan said historical movies made in China or South Korea won over not only local audiences, but also large audiences abroad, with the sheer strength of their themes and high quality production.
She attributed this ability to closely connect with historical material to the countries’ well-maintained archives as well as their bounty of well-preserved ancient and historical structures, a cultural resource that is scarce in Viet Nam.
"With such few historical and culture sites [to use as backdrops], film-makers have difficulties making period films, especially in script-writing or making costumes," Lan said.
The department of cinematography has launched many contests for scriptwriting, including historical scripts, but participants were unable to come up with material that could rival the stories produced by their Chinese counterparts, who can access a wealth of historical material to research their scripts.
Lan also recognised the high costs that are required to make movies, a particular challenge because production studios capable of amassing enough capital for a major production are few and far between.
And without the physical grounds of the studios themselves, Vietnamese filmmakers face difficulties in recreating the historical settings so crucial to making a period film.
It may turn out, however, that a healthy level of funding is the key to overcoming historical cinema’s past creative obstacles.
The State-owned Viet Nam Feature Film Studio is preparing to make a film about the king who established Ha Noi as the country’s capital.
King Ly Cong Uan will be the most expensive film ever made in the country - according to the studio, it will cost about 100 billion dong (US$6.25 million).
It is slated for release in 2010 to mark the 1,000th founding anniversary of Thang Long-Ha Noi. King Ly Cong Uan moved the capital from Hoa Lu in present Ninh Binh Province to Thang Long (now Ha Noi) in 1010.
The reputed artist and producer of the film, Le Duc Tien, who is also director of the studio, rejected recent media reports that his studio was wasting public money by making such an expensive film. In contrast to Tien, the media has estimated the film’s costs are running as high as 200 billion dong.
"The film will be shot in many places in Viet Nam and will require putting up sets in the ancient capital of Hoa Lu," said Tien, adding that "it’s very expensive to make historical films."
Around 60 billion dong will be spent on costumes, building war ships, imperial vessels and royal palaces.
"It is not a wasteful expenditure. All these sets will be used again for other historical films and tourists will visit them in the future.
"We have also visited China to check out studios where historical films are made."
Technicians from Japan, the Chinese mainland and Hong Kong have been invited to work alongside local filmmakers. "Payments to foreign experts are very high, between $40,000 and $60,000 per person a month," he said.
"A large expense will go towards filming scenes in Kunming and Shanghai in China because ancient citadels and ramparts no longer exist in Viet Nam," he said.
Progress is slow
Nguyen Thi Minh Thai, a well-known literary critic, said she and many others were worried about the film’s schedule.
"The Viet Nam Feature Film Studio must step up the pace if it wants to screen King Ly Cong Uan in 2010," she said.
"Everything is very slow and 2010 is not that far away. The studio spent over two years choosing a literary work and a year turning it into a film."
But Vu Xuan Hung, the studio’s deputy director, said "we’ve not received the screenplay from the film’s director Luu Trong Ninh."
Thai is also worried about the quality of the film and said making an historical piece was not an easy task.
"Film makers could learn from Ha Noi and HCM City theatre groups which have staged many interesting dramas featuring historical figures," she added.
Film director Tien, however, is confident that the film will be released on May 1, 2010.
"If Ha Noi authorities approve our budget, we will start work in November," he said.
"There will be three units working simultaneously in China and Viet Nam.
"This is the first great film about a king in Viet Nam. We are facing a challenge and we will succeed, no matter how many people are anxious about our capability."