A scene from the first 40-minute work called Gia Thế và Tuổi Thơ (Family and Childhood). Photo courtesy of the producer

The 40-minute work, Gia Thế và Tuổi Thơ (Family and Childhood), portrays the childhood of Nguyen Du in Tien Dien Village, Nghi Xuan District in the central province of Ha Tinh. 

It focuses on the poet and his talent in poetry and music.

His father, Nguyen Nghiem, a mandarin under the Le dynasty, is also highlighted. 

The film made its debut in Hanoi and Ha Tinh in September to celebrate the writer’s 255th birth anniversary and 200th death anniversary. It made a deep impression on audiences.

The film will be in cinemas in HCM City this week. Photo courtesy of the producer

Along with the screening, an academic seminar on "Vietnamese Language in Truyện Kiều (The Tale of Kiều)", a famous epic poem written in Nôm (ancient ideographic script of the Vietnamese language) by Nguyen Du, was also organised in Ha Tinh. 

The event, organised by the People’s Committee of Ha Tinh and its partners, attracted dozens of authors, composers and cultural researchers, such as professor Phong Le, who is president of the Vietnam Association of The Tale of Kiều Studies, and veteran poet Tran Dang Khoa.

Its aim was to honour and pay tribute to Nguyen Du, who created and brought the value of Vietnamese language to a higher level that no one had ever before accomplished.

About 50 presentations on the beauty and vitality of the Vietnamese language in The Tale of Kiều were introduced. 

The film’s producer, Pham Xuan Mung, who has 20 years of experience in film and literature, said the film Đại Thi Hào Nguyễn Du includes three episodes and shows the value and longevity of the masterpiece The Tale of Kiều as well as Nguyen Du's significant role in promoting Vietnamese language. 

Mung said the film’s second part, called Phong Trần và Thơ Ca (Vicissitude of Life and Poetry), is in post-production. The final episode, Truyện Kiều và Lan Toả (The Tale of Kiều - Longevity of the Masterpiece), will be completed next year. 

He said key parts of the series used writings and studies from famous authors and cultural researchers. 

“Our film aims to introduce and promote celebrated poet Nguyen Du’s masterpiece and other works to both local people and foreigners, as well as educate young generations about patriotism, national pride and encourage them to contribute to the construction of the nation,” said Mung, who is also one of the film’s scriptwriters.

The film’s veteran director Nguyen Van Duc and his staff travelled to capture beautiful scenes of traditional culture and rural life in Ha Tinh, Hanoi, Bac Ninh, Thai Binh and Hue. 

He invited talented actors of leading film studios and art schools to play the lead roles. “I wanted my characters’ lives to be realistic,” said Duc. 

More than VND15 billion (US$645,000) was spent on filming of Đại Thi Hào Nguyễn Du.  VNS 

Celebrated poet Nguyen Du remembered through exhibition on his works

An exhibition is taking place at the Women Museum in Hanoi to mark the 200th death anniversary of Nguyen Du, one of the greatest Vietnamese poets best known for his verse novel “Tale of Kieu”.

The celebrated pen of Nguyen Du

It’s customary for Vietnamese people to commemorate the ancestors, related or not, on the anniversary of their death. Not to mourn their passing, but to celebrate their life.