Red Rain - an epic of blood and tears

The National Cinema Center auditorium was silent after more than 120 minutes of Red Rain. When the lights came on, hundreds of eyes were still red. Those were tears for the brutality of war, tears of pride and gratitude for the generation of fathers and brothers who sacrificed their youth for the Fatherland.

Resurrecting memories

“Red Rain Campaign”, director and Meritorious Artist Dang Thai Huyen called her film by such a name. Because, to bring the memories of 81 days and nights of blood and fire to the screen, the crew together went through exactly 81 days of intense and arduous filming. “There were times when I thought I would collapse because of the harsh weather and the pressure of the big war scenes”, she recalled.

Veterans who directly participated in the battle of Quang Tri Citadel in 1972 attended the premiere of the film Red Rain in Hanoi.

Red Rain is considered the most elaborate and large-scale war film in the past 20 years, truly reviving the heroic spirit of the 81 days and nights our army and people fought to protect Quang Tri Citadel in 1972. Colonel Nguyen Van Hoi, Head of the Liaison Committee of Battalion K3 - Tam Dao, the unit that directly participated in the battle that day, choked up: "We were the ones involved, but we couldn't hold back our tears. My comrades lying in the Citadel are probably smiling with satisfaction...".

Not only the veterans but also many young people present at the premiere could not hold back their emotions, “The footage in Red Rain makes viewers feel the pain and ultimate sacrifice of their fathers. Each image is not only a historical memory, but also a reminder to live a worthy life today,” young person Pham Truc Anh shared. That empathy bridges the generation gap, making the story of more than 50 years ago still resonate in the hearts of viewers.

Some viewers have called the film a depiction of the price of peace . “I watched it silently from beginning to end, and cried silently. The bloody scenes followed me into my sleep. The image of a young man lying motionless in his youthful glory, or two mothers dropping flowers on the Thach Han River… haunted me forever. Watch it to see how expensive peace is, to remind myself not to waste every drop of blood that stained the Citadel red that year…”, writer Nguyen Thuc Linh shared.

Imprint and influence

The theme of war is always considered difficult to produce, but the people who made Red Rain turned that challenge into an opportunity to contribute. “With the responsibility of a soldier and an artist, we put all our faith, passion and energy into dedication,” said Production Director, Colonel Kieu Thanh Thuy, Deputy Director of People’s Army Cinema.

To achieve authenticity, the crew did not hesitate to reconstruct the Quang Tri Citadel almost exactly as it was originally, so that each brick and each wall was demolished according to the script. Each scene was roughly staged by the director right on the spot, reviewed, and then adjusted immediately. It was this meticulousness that created a work that was both tragic and touching. The strength of Red Rain is the combination of fierceness and humanity. Not only the sound of bombs and bullets, the director also put in quiet moments so that the audience can see that soldiers also have love, fear, and hope. "I think the tragedy in war films is very important, but quiet moments are also needed. That is when soldiers face themselves, face loss, and miss their families," director Dang Thai Huyen confided.

Although it was officially released on August 22, these days, Red Rain has created a "fever" in real life. Right from the release of the trailer, the film was in the hottest keyword list on social networks and in just one week, the number of discussions about Red Rain was at the number 1 position in social trends. Experts also did not hesitate to praise. Director Bui Thac Chuyen commented: "War films always require the highest level of production. With Red Rain, the strength that female director Dang Thai Huyen shows is not inferior to anyone". Those comments both affirm the professionalism and add to the belief that Vietnamese cinema is completely capable of producing great works about history and revolutionary war.

Red Rain, from novel to big screen, is considered an epic written with blood, tears and the resilience of the nation. “Blood and bones spilled on the land and sky will be remembered” is the message that resonates from every frame, to remind us to live worthy in peace today.

MAI AN

Source: https://www.sggp.org.vn/mua-do-ban-hung-ca-tu-mau-va-nuoc-mat-post809378.html