Stunning beauty of Vietnamese screen, possessing 'once in a thousand years' eyes
Dubbed the "peerless beauty" of Vietnamese cinema, this female artist has captivated generations with her breathtakingly beautiful eyes - considered "once in a thousand years".
People's Artist Tra Giang, born in 1942, is one of the icons of Vietnamese revolutionary cinema. From a young age, she showed artistic talent, inherited from her father, Meritorious Artist Nguyen Van Khanh.
At the age of 17, she passed the entrance exam to dance school and not long after, she became a student of the first course of Vietnam Cinema University (later Hanoi Academy of Theatre and Cinema).
First touched cinema in 1962 with the movieAn early autumn day, Tra Giang made a deep impression on the audience through the role of Ms. Kien - a gentle, kind woman. However, it was not until the role of Ms. Tu Hau in the movie of the same name that her name really shone.
This role brought her the Silver Medal at the 1963 Moscow International Film Festival - a historic milestone for Vietnamese cinema on the international stage.
Since then, she has continuously appeared in major works that bear the mark of the times such as17th parallel day and night(Best Actress Award at Moscow International Film Festival),Battle Song, Hanoi Baby, Deserted Fields, Saint's Day...
During the 1960s to the late 1980s, Tra Giang was a typical face representing the beauty of Vietnamese women on screen - gentle, resilient and full of inner strength.
People's Artist, director Bach Diep - a contemporary of hers - once commented: "Tra Giang is not the most beautiful girl in the class, but her eyes are invincible.The big, black, deep eyes have moved many audiences. They can express everything: pain, hope, loss, love… without the need for dialogue.
AfterWhite Flower River (1989)), Tra Giang withdrew from cinema. When asked, she said she was still waiting for a suitable role, but there was none. In the early 1990s, when the "instant noodle" film genre was popular, she felt she was no longer suitable.
She returned to the Film School and became a teacher to teach the young generation. In 1998, after retiring, Tra Giang found a poetic path: painting. At first, it was just drawings based on immediate emotions, but gradually, painting became a part of her life.
People's Artist Tra Giang has more than 100 paintings of various genres inspired by women, movies, and the lands she visited during her youth. She participated in 10 group exhibitions and organized 4 solo exhibitions.
For People's Artist Tra Giang, the three most important things in life are acting, her husband and her daughter. Her husband is the late Professor, Doctor of Music Nguyen Bich Ngoc. They married in 1967, and later she and her husband moved to Ho Chi Minh City to live together until Mr. Ngoc passed away in 1999.
That loss left Tra Giang feeling lost and lost. Since then, the artist has lived alone and decided not to remarry.
People's Artist Tra Giang and her husband have a daughter, pianist Bich Tra. Since the age of 14, Bich Tra has been studying in Russia and is now a famous pianist abroad. Every 1-2 months, Bich Tra returns to the country to work and visit her mother. Being far away from home, her daughter feels somewhat reassured when she sees her parents happy and healthy.
Despite her rare age, People's Artist Tra Giang is still clear-headed, gentle, and maintains an optimistic spirit and a heart that loves art. Occasionally, she appears at film festivals and award ceremonies - not only to reminisce about her golden age, but also to meet colleagues and encourage the younger generation.
Looking back on more than 80 years of life, People's Artist Tra Giang has no regrets. She chooses to live fully in each present moment, enjoy a peaceful life, and find joy in simple things. "Each person has their own destiny, and cannot choose. The important thing is that we live positively and create happiness for ourselves," she reflects.
