Andy Trung's 'Hell Village' Sao Ha

hell village - photo 1.

Hell Village

Photographer Andy Trung (from Hai Phong ) is passionate about photography and cinema. That's why he likes to tell stories through images with a style and camera angles inspired by the language of cinema.

Overwhelmed by the gloomy beauty

Sao Ha village is known as the village of “three no’s”, no electricity, no water, no phone signal. This place in Tuyen Quang province (formerly Ha Giang province) is the filming location of two Tet movies in hell village and Soul Eater.

The space here is wild and gloomy, creating a mysterious atmosphere, suitable for horror and mystery films. Photographer Andy Trung told Tuoi Tre Online that he took the photo series "Hell Village" early one morning when the village was covered in a thick layer of fog. This was also the time when the atmosphere was gloomy, leaving the most emotions.

“I have been to Sao Ha village three times and found that fog is the "specialty" of this place. Every time I travel to Ha Giang, I stop by the village. The fog creates a space that is both magical and captivating, exactly the spirit I wanted to express in the photo series,” said Andy Trung.

Andy Trung confessed that he felt scared when he first entered Sao Ha village after watching the Tet movie Hell Village which was filmed here. He said many of the shooting locations were from the movie. He was also overwhelmed by the gloomy beauty.

When I hold a camera, I don't just want to capture a moment, but I want to create a frame with emotion and depth like a still film scene.

Andy Trung

Each photo is like a movie scene.

Andy Trung confided: “The biggest advantage when taking the photo series was the very favorable weather, the thick fog was just as desired. On days without fog, it was like a quiet, fresh village. I chose a low angle, leading the viewer to look deep into the fog.”

The cold, misty atmosphere of Sao Ha village inspired Andy Trung to take a series of cinematic photos.

For a movie enthusiast, choosing the camera angle is very important. Andy Trung always prioritizes wide, panoramic angles so that the audience feels like they are "entering the frame", like standing in the middle of a movie scene.

"Vietnam has so many beautiful landscapes that have not been properly explored . For me, each land has a "soul" and what I need to do for each trip is to tell the majestic beauty of our country through the most beautiful images" - photographer Andy Trung confided.

hell village - photo 2.