Director Long Vân and the film "Liberating Saigon"

(Baonghean)Watching the film "Liberating Saigon," directed by Long Vân and produced by the Vietnam Feature Film Studio (2005), the impressions of a magnificent, realistic, and moving film, worthy of the nation's historic Spring 1975 victory, remain deeply etched in the viewer's mind.

The process of conceiving and producing the major film reflecting the campaign to liberate Saigon in the spring of 1975 was recounted by Meritorious Artist and director Long Vân: In 1985, after the General Staff had finished watching the episodes of "Saigon Commandos," General Lê Trọng Tấn invited the film crew with a warm and affectionate gesture, saying: "There is one more film you must make, and that is a film about the liberation of Saigon, something that the people of the whole country are waiting for!"

Since then, the general's words spurred director Long Vân to focus his thoughts, seeking out professionals with extensive knowledge of war to invite to join the film crew. However, everything had to be put on hold when the film studio assigned him the urgent task of completing the film project "See You Again Saigon," coinciding with the 105th anniversary of President Ho Chi Minh's birth (May 19, 1995)... In 2000, the script for "Liberating Saigon" was approved by the Ministry of Culture and Information! But throughout the preceding process, five scriptwriters and advisors in the fields of history, military, and film, considered the best, had quietly and diligently worked on the project.

The script was co-written by writer and journalist Hong Ha, a "treasure trove" of wartime documents; writer Nguyen Tran Thiet, who closely followed the 3rd Army Corps' advance into Saigon; and writer Vu Van Nha, a former army officer. Directors Le Dang Thuc and Long Van, both passionate professionals with extensive experience in wartime, combined their belief, intellect, and enthusiasm to create a high-quality script.

The Spring 1975 campaign to liberate Saigon was a tremendous victory in the history of our nation's founding and defense! How can we create a film worthy of the scale of this war? We need to portray hundreds of characters, including nearly 20 main figures who are historical real-life prototypes of those who contributed to this glorious victory, such as Generals Vo Nguyen Giap, Le Trong Tan, Hoang Van Thai, Van Tien Dung, and Lieutenant General Tran Van Tra... But despite the difficulties, the filmmakers always received enthusiastic support from their real-life counterparts.

This is a feature film, so its production has stringent artistic requirements, unlike typical war documentaries. The first requirement is fidelity to the events, so that the public can have a correct understanding of the historical significance. The goal is to ensure the film is both fictional and true to the qualities of the people who were both bold and swift, intelligent and strategic, in liberating Buon Ma Thuot, Hue, Da Nang, Xuan Loc, and Saigon. Therefore, the casting process for the characters requires great care and meticulousness, ensuring they resemble the real-life figures while also possessing acting talent. For example, finding the actor to play the late General Secretary Le Duan took the film crew nearly a year, searching throughout theater troupes in both the North and South of Vietnam. Ultimately, actor Ha Van Trong successfully portrayed the character, recreating the demeanor of a talented and decisive leader; his actions and words were firm and powerful, delivered with a distinctive Quang Tri accent...

An illustrative image from the film "Liberating Saigon".

Particularly in the film, the grand, elaborate scenes depicting airplanes, missiles, tanks, and heavy artillery of the troops advancing into Saigon on April 30, 1975, are meticulously staged. The film's spectacular, realistic, and moving imagery convinces viewers to witness and relive the life and heroic spirit of the 1970s.

Meritorious Artist Long Vân is a director from the North, but he is known for his knack for making films about the South since the liberation. With 7 feature films, from "The Call from the Front," "Where Love Meets," "The Man Without a Surname," "For Tomorrow," and especially 4 major films: "Saigon Commandos" - 1985; "See You Again Saigon" - 1995; "Liberating Saigon" - 2005, and most recently the television series "The Children of the Saigon Commandos" - 2010, the city named after President Ho Chi Minh has become a "promised land," for the director who is deeply attached to his artistic creations, as he once confided: "That encounter was a 'heaven-sent' opportunity, and I am very satisfied."

Le Lan (47, Dang Thuc Hua Street, Vinh)