The Việt Nam Film Institute (VFI) is providing free screenings of nine movies, available now on YouTube.
Vietnam News reports that the addition of the nine cinema classics, produced during the last 50 years, aims to "bring Vietnamese films closer to audiences, especially younger generations, and help them learn more about the country’s history."
Amongst the productions are Đừng Đốt, a war epic that won the won the Golden Lotus Award at the 16th Vietnam Film Festival in 2009, and Nhà Tiên Tri (2015), which follows the life of Ho Chi Minh from 1947 to 1950 during the resistance war against France. The majority of the films have won major domestic prizes and were made with the support of government agencies.
Other films include Lương Tâm Bé Bỏng (1993), Chung Cư (1999) from director Việt Linh, Mùa Ổi (2000), Mặt Trận Không Tiếng Súng (2000), Nhìn Ra Biển Cả (2010), Cuộc Đời Của Yến (2015), and Dòng Sông Hoa Trắng (1989).
Largely, but not exclusively, focused on Vietnam's patriotic successes, the films aim to bring to life aspects of Vietnamese history that may have previously only existed in stodgy textbooks. They have not been widely screened in Vietnamese cinemas, which makes YouTube an ideal candidate for their proliferation. The scheme has already proven a success, with each movie receiving more than 500,000 views apiece.
Meanwhile, other Vietnamese films are aiming to make a mark on the international stage. Namely, One Year On – The Essex Lorry Tragedy, produced by Vietnam News, is hitting international festivals later this year.
Moreover, a 22-part documentary entitled Con Đường Đã Chọn (The Chosen Path) focused on Vietnam's wars against France and America started airing on TV on September 2, with English subtitles for the first time. Compared to other non-fiction films of the period, it incorporates a treasure trove of footage, photographs and first-hand accounts.
[Top photo via YouTube channel Viện Phim Việt Nam]
