Nghe An province screens the film 'Red Rain' free of charge for veterans of the Quang Tri Citadel war.

Returning to the memories of a glorious era.

The September 12th cinema was packed with elderly people, their slow pace, leaning on canes, but their eyes always shining with pride. They were veterans of the 1972 Quang Tri Citadel battle, coming to watch the film "Red Rain," to relive a time of their youth filled with bloodshed.

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The free screening of the film "Red Rain" for members of the Association of Soldiers of the Quang Tri Citadel in 1972 in Nghe An province will take place over four days, from September 9th to 12th, 2025. More than 2,000 members are expected to participate.

This event is not simply about watching a film, but also a journey back to the tragic memories of a generation of soldiers who fought at the ancient citadel years ago.

Mr. Pham Xuan Tinh, now 76 years old, directly participated in the 81-day and 81-night battle at Quang Tri Citadel and was wounded. Despite living in Chau Binh commune, hundreds of kilometers away, he woke up very early to catch a bus to arrive in time for the film screening.

Mr. Tinh confided: "When I heard that the Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee of Quang Tri province was organizing a film screening for veterans of the Quang Tri Citadel, I was extremely excited. The night before the screening, I couldn't sleep; not only because I got to watch a film to relive a heroic and glorious era, but also because I got to meet my comrades, reminisce about memories, remember and pay tribute to those who sacrificed for the country's peace today. At the same time, I got to learn more about the lives of my comrades now, to share experiences with them, just like during the war when we shared a sip of water and a piece of dried food."

When the first footage appeared, the entire audience fell silent. The wrinkled faces of the veterans seemed to tense up, their eyes welling up with tears. Comrades clasped hands, some silently wiping away tears with handkerchiefs. Many veterans couldn't sit through the entire screening and had to leave to control their emotions.

Mr. Pham Ngoc Son, 87 years old, residing in Thanh Vinh ward, who directly participated in and served in combat on four battlefields: South Vietnam, North Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia, shared: “The film only depicts a ‘slice’ of a war through images; the reality cannot fully convey its ferocity. Besides bombs and bullets as shown in the film, during the Quang Tri Citadel campaign, napalm bombs were used to incinerate everything in their path, burning everything to ashes. And besides facing bombs and bullets, life and death, those in the war endured countless hardships, sleeping under the open sky in the wild, treacherous forests; getting lost in the jungle, eating poisonous wild vegetables and stream fish, being attacked by wild animals…”

Mr. Son further shared: “The humanistic aspect of war was portrayed very realistically by the director. Through the images, our soldiers, standing before the enemy of the nation, even with their guns raised, could not pull the trigger when they witnessed, facing life and death, the soldier on the other side of the battlefield holding a picture of his wife and child to his chest. I myself have also stood before the enemy, raising my gun, but when the person on the other side uttered the words 'Mother,' I let go. Because even though they are the enemy, behind them are still mothers, wives, and children. Amidst the brutality, humanity still shines brightly.”

For veterans, watching the film is not only a way to reminisce and relive a time of hardship and pride for a country that achieved independence, freedom, and peace, but also an opportunity to remember countless comrades who fell and lie buried in the soil of Quang Tri. Through this, they also gain strength, willpower, and a sense of responsibility for life today and in the future.

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Mr. Nguyen Tat Trien, 78 years old, Chairman of the Association of Soldiers of the Ancient Citadel in Truong Vinh Ward, said: He and his comrades continue to actively connect information, search for and collect the remains of fallen soldiers who are buried in streams, deep forests, and remote mountains, in order to alleviate some of the pain of the mothers, wives, and relatives of the fallen soldiers.

Gratitude and messages

Along with nostalgic feelings and reliving heroic memories, the veterans also expressed their joy and emotion at the timely attention from the province on the occasion of the 53rd anniversary of the traditional day of the Association of Soldiers of Quang Tri Citadel in 1972 in Nghe An province (September 16, 1972 - September 16, 2025), which organized a screening of the film "Red Rain" for the veterans.

Comrade Nguyen Dinh Hung - Member of the Provincial Party Committee, Standing Vice Chairman of the Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee of Nghe An province, shared: “Organizing film screenings for veterans who participated in and served in the fighting at Quang Tri Citadel on the occasion of the 53rd anniversary of the Association's traditional day is an activity to show gratitude to the veterans, the living witnesses of history. Through this, it contributes to arousing national pride in generations, including cadres working in the Fatherland Front.”

The Standing Vice Chairman of the Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee of the province added: This activity is organized with resources from social mobilization, with the goal of both expressing gratitude and strengthening the great national unity, so that the heroic past continues to illuminate the path of today.

For the soldiers who once took up arms to defend Quang Tri Citadel, the film "Red Rain" is not just a cinematic work, but also a legacy, an indelible part of their memories. It serves as a reminder to present and future generations that peace, independence, and happiness are not easily achieved; they were bought with the blood of countless generations of our ancestors, prompting each person to live more responsibly towards their homeland and country.

Mr. Nguyen Tat Trien (Truong Vinh ward), a veteran of the Quang Tri Citadel, shared: "In each historical period, the demands of the revolution and the tasks of each generation of Vietnamese people are different. For the generations of our ancestors who dared to sacrifice the most sacred and noble thing of humankind—their lives—for the peace of the country, the hope is that today's generation, in addition to daring to think, daring to act, and daring to take responsibility, must also dare to sacrifice personal interests to build a more prosperous and happy homeland and country."

After watching the film "Red Rain," many veterans lingered outside the theater, holding hands and sharing heartfelt stories. For them, reliving a glorious era, reuniting with comrades, and receiving recognition and gratitude from society was a great source of encouragement...