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Colonel, Meritorious Artist and Director Dang Thai Huyen (second from right) and the cast of Red Rain at the event |
Red Rain, a film that once set box-office records in Vietnam, was introduced to a large European audience and presented as Vietnam’s contender for the Oscar in 2026.
Speaking at the screening, Colonel, Meritorious Artist and director Dang Thai Huyen, representing the Red Rain film crew, emotionally said, “What is portrayed in the film about the 81 days and nights at the Quang Tri Citadel is only a very small part compared with the brutal reality of war. We are proud to have completed Red Rain and taken the film on such a long journey. Above all, however, we would like to express our gratitude to the audience, thank you for the applause, the tears, the empathy and encouragement from viewers, from Vietnam to Paris today.”
After watching the film, Ache Ahmat Moustapha, a sociologist and film director, commented, “What struck me most at first was the artistic value of the film. But beyond all else, it is the message of peace in the ending, peace forged after so much suffering. The film shows that despite immense losses, there were still people who sat down at the negotiating table, through the Geneva Accords and the Paris Peace Accords, to bring peace back to Vietnam. I was also deeply moved by the courage of the Vietnam People’s Army. The message conveyed by the film is truly powerful.”
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The Vietnam People’s Army Cinema delegation interacting with audiences at the closing event of Vietnam Cinema Week in France |
From an academic perspective, Alain Cyril Barioz, Professor of History and Geography in Paris, said that the film concludes with a highly symbolic final scene, in which a young woman’s scarf is torn between two officers, forming the letter ‘S,’ the shape of Vietnam. This ending image gives viewers the necessary distance to reflect on a poignant and emotional story that binds the men to the woman, and at the same time binds a group of people together.
The screening of Red Rain at the event attracted significant interest from international friends, overseas Vietnamese, and lovers of Vietnamese cinema. French audiences expressed admiration for the spirit of Vietnamese soldiers as depicted on screen, while overseas Vietnamese viewers said the film brought them closer to their homeland. Many assessments described Red Rain as an authentic and humane work, worthy of broader introduction across Europe.
The screening of Red Rain, along with the post-film exchanges with audiences, concluded a vibrant week-long journey that brought together numerous artists, filmmakers, French and European partners, and more than 6,000 attendees from France and nearly 20 other countries. The week was co-organized by the Vietnam Film Development Promotion Association (VFDA) and AVSE Global, under the patronage of the Embassy of Vietnam in France.
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A large number of international viewers attending the screening of Red Rain |
Speaking at the closing ceremony, Pham Thi Kim Yen, Minister-Counsellor of the Embassy of Vietnam in France, emphasized, “The week is not merely a film screening program, but a journey, a call for audiences to discover and rediscover Vietnam’s landscapes, people, dreams, and challenges through the lens of filmmakers. Each film, each discussion, and each meeting with artists is an opportunity to honor Vietnamese creativity, resilience, and spirit.”
According to experts, Vietnam Cinema Week in France opens up possibilities for expanding this model to other countries, laying the groundwork for the Vietnamese cinema sector to broaden its presence on the international film map.
Translated by Tran Hoai