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Blockbuster director Phan Gia Nhat Linh of HCMC got a scholarship in film, offered by the Ford Foundation, at the University of Southern California in 2006. (Photo: courtesy of the producer) |
The film, Dai Chien Bach Dang Giang (The Battle on Bach Dang River), will feature the Bach Dang Battle in 938 on the Bach Dang River between Vietnamese troops, led by Ngo Quyen, and Chinese invaders under the Han Dynasty.
Quyen asked his soldiers to plant iron-headed wooden stakes, invisible during high tides, into the riverbed.
After Quyen launched a counter-attack at low tide, the enemy's large boats ran aground as they were pierced by the long stakes.
The victory of Bach Dang ended the 1,000-year Chinese domination, opening a period of Vietnam’s independence and sovereignty.
The first sketches of the film were introduced to the public on December 19, attracting many movie fans and critics.
Director Linh and his staff from AIOI Studios are working on the pre-production of the film. They have also invited investors to be involved in their project.
“My new film, Bac Dang Giang, is part of the long-term project on making historical films featuring Vietnamese history launched by AIOI Studios and their partners,” said Linh. “I wanted to capture Vietnamese national heroes on film. I hope youngsters will improve their knowledge of the country’s history through my art.”
Linh began his career as a film critic. He got a scholarship in film offered by the Ford Foundation at the University of Southern California in 2006.
He worked with talented film directors, such as Vietnamese-American Charlie Nguyen and Nguyen Quang Dung, before releasing his first comedy film, Em La Ba Noi Cua Anh (Sweet 20), in 2015.
His second film, Co Gai Den Tu Hom Qua (The Girl from Yesterday), a romantic production, was released in 2017.
Both films were blockbusters, earning more than VND20 billion (US$850,000) each in just the first week of release.
In 2020, he worked on the US$1 million comedy entitled Trang Ti (Child Master) featuring Vietnamese folk stories.
Linh’s latest film, Em va Trinh (You and Trinh), a production on the late famous songwriter Trinh Cong Son, earned VND100 billion (US$4.1 million) in ticket sales after five weeks of its release starting on June.
