Upstream Movie - Part 1: Upstream... watch movie

QTO - In the era of technology explosion, modern media covers everywhere, the image of mobile movie screenings (CPLĐ) is almost absent in urban areas and plains. However, in remote areas of Quang Tri province, "mobile cinemas" have been steadily lit for decades. Not only providing moments of entertainment, they are also an effective information channel, bringing the Party's guidelines and policies, the State's policies and laws closer to the people in the highlands.

Hidden deep in the old forests, many remote villages of ethnic minorities in Quang Tri province are still outside the "coverage area" of the national electricity grid, their lives are cramped and lacking. In such a place that seems isolated from modern life, television and cinema have become luxuries, until CPLĐ teams of the Center for Culture and Cinema (Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism) climbed uphill and through the forest to find them, bringing with them the precious "spiritual food" that people are looking forward to and waiting for.

Lom villagers gather to watch movies on the big screen - Photo: TA

Late afternoon, when the last rays of the sun fell at the foot of the mountain, the road to Lom village, Dan Hoa commune seemed longer because of the curves and steep slopes. From the provincial center, the truck carrying projectors, screens, loudspeakers... of CPLD Team No. 1 of Northern Quang Tri departed early. After a journey of 170km with winding and dangerous mountain passes, the team finally arrived at the village when the afternoon sun had set.

Lom Village is nestled in the middle of a valley, surrounded by deep green forests. There is no electricity grid here, and the phone signal is intermittent. The only source of light is the solar-powered lamps along the main road into the village, donated by the provincial Border Guard.

The lives of 106 households with 455 Chut people here still flow peacefully as they have for generations. Without electricity, without audio-visual equipment, when night falls, the whole village is immersed in a quiet space.

Today was different! The small village was lit up! Even though they had been notified a day in advance, the appearance of the film team still made the whole village bustling and excited. The dirty children had big, round eyes, bewildered when they first saw the scene of the cinema being set up; the older children were overjoyed.

From the smoky stoves, the women left their rice pots, quickly pulled on their shirts, and ran out to the yard to listen. The old men slowly walked out, their faces radiant as if welcoming a relative from far away... "It's been a long time since the villagers have been this happy. Everyone is eagerly waiting for the movie to start," Village Chief Ho Bien said with a smile.

After taking a quick sip of water, the film crew immediately got to work preparing. Some stretched the canvas, some set up the projector, arranged the speakers, some turned on the generator... They worked quickly and urgently. And when the villagers came one by one to fill the yard, the sound of the generator rang out, tearing apart the familiar quiet atmosphere of the village.

Mr. Nguyen Thai Quy, Head of the Cinema Department, Center for Culture and Cinema, said: According to the plan, in 2025, the center will organize 691 CPLD sessions at 380 screening locations in 27 communes in remote areas of Quang Tri province. Particularly on the occasion of the August Revolution and National Day September 2 this year, the center will organize 103 screenings at 75 locations in the communes: Dan Hoa, Tuyen Phu, Phong Nha, Trung Thuan, Truong Son, Thuong Trach, Lia, A Doi, Tan Lap, Ta Rut, Ba Long, Huong Hiep, Ben Quan, Con Tien, Ben Hai.

The white screen was stretched flat, casting a soft light that was enough to brighten up the entire yard. Everyone sat attentively watching the screen, their eyes waiting. Quickly wiping the sweat from his forehead, Mr. Dinh Minh Hieu, an officer of the film projection team, smiled softly: "Every trip to the people in the highlands is difficult, sometimes it takes a whole day to get there, the road is steep, and when it rains it is even more difficult. But when we see the people excited and happy, all the fatigue seems to disappear. The people are happy, so we are happy too."

That night, Lom village was bustling as if there was a festival. Documentary footage about Truong Son soldiers, the Ho Chi Minh trail in the resistance war against the US to save the country, the spirit of the August Revolution and National Day September 2nd, along with the feature film "Tunnels" seemed to open up a new world for the people.

Not only are the stories on the screen, but they are also precious moments for the people of Lom village to laugh and be moved. "There is no electricity or television in the village. Today, we are very happy to watch a movie on the big screen!", Mrs. Ho Thi Hun laughed heartily.

At the same time, CPLD Team No. 2 Nam Quang Tri also traveled a long distance to Gia Gia village, Huong Hiep commune. Gia Gia is a particularly difficult area, about 20 kilometers from the commune center, where people's lives are still full of deprivation and they have little access to cultural activities. Knowing that the film team was coming, since the afternoon, people gathered along the village road, eagerly waiting.

Just as the preparations were completed, a sudden downpour began. Everyone quickly packed up and moved into the village cultural house. The atmosphere did not calm down, on the contrary, inside the small house, laughter and chatter were bustling, eyes sparkling under the generator light. The small village seemed to be lit up by the light of the projection screen, by the shared joy and connection of the whole community through simple but meaningful films.

Although its heyday has passed several decades ago, CPLĐ is still an important information channel to propagate the Party and State's policies and guidelines, contributing to improving the spiritual life of people in remote areas, border areas, etc., thereby reviving the beauty of traditional culture. And behind each film are silent people who stick to their villages and forests, carrying with them both responsibility and love for the profession to "keep the fire burning" for special cinemas in the mountainous areas.

Peace of Mind

>>> Lesson 2: Behind the screen

Source: https://baoquangtri.vn/van-hoa/202508/nguoc-ngan-chieu-phim-bai-1-len-ban-xem-phim-78e6c3c/