A scene from Phượng Khấu (The Queen’s Robe Button Engraved with an Image of a Phoenix), a TV series about the Nguyen dynasty in the 19th century. Directed by Huynh Tuan Anh, the film made waves among young audiences after its release last year. Photo courtesy of the producer

A fantasy film, Huyết Rồng (Blood Dragon), will include two chapters featuring the emperors and heroes of the Early Le and Ly dynasties. 

The film’s first chapter will feature General Le Hoan who served the Dinh dynasty in 979. Hoan led his army that repelled the Song Chinese invasion in 981. He later became the first emperor of the Early Le dynasty, named Le Dai Hanh.

The second chapter will highlight King Ly Thai To, the first king of the Ly dynasty from 1010 to 1028. 

King Ly Thai To moved the capital of Dai Viet (Great Viet) from Hoa Lu (now Ninh Binh Province) to Dai La Citadel in 1010, and renamed it Thang Long (Ascending Dragon), now Hanoi. The move heralded a new and brighter period in the country’s development. 

Hoa Lu, which means "Flowers of Reeds", was the capital of the Dinh dynasty (968-980) and Early Le dynasty (980-1009). The ancient capital marks a splendid historical moment in the country’s history of thousands of years. 

A character sketch for Huyết Rồng (Blood Dragon), a fantasy film featuring Vietnamese emperors and heroes of the Early Le and Ly dynasties. Photo courtesy of the producer

Blood Dragon will feature the themes of patriotism and devotion. Love and royal family secrets will also be highlighted.  

“We have spent a lot of money on production. We hope our film will be of high quality and bring a new taste of Vietnamese history to moviegoers,” said the film’s director Huynh Tuan Anh in a recent interview with local media after launching his film project in HCM City.  

Anh’s previous film, Phượng Khấu (The Queen’s Robe Button Engraved with an Image of a Phoenix), a TV series about the Nguyen dynasty in the 19th century, made waves among young audiences after its release last year. 

The 18-episode show features Queen Mother Tu Du who helped her son, Hong Nham, to become Emperor Tu Duc. He enjoyed the longest reign of any monarch of the Nguyen dynasty, ruling from 1848 (after his father Emperor Thieu Tri’s death) to 1883.

Anh invited dozens of historians and cultural researchers, including historian Nguyen Khac Thuan and Professor Le Van Lan, to complete the screenplay. 

People’s Artist Hong Van, Meritorious Artist Thanh Loc and Vietnamese-American actress Hong Dao played the leading roles. 

Each 60-minute episode of Phượng Khấu costs VND2 billion (US$85,400). More than 200 costumes, half of them handmade, were used.

“I believe Blood Dragon will be much better,” said Anh, who used 3D technology during shooting.  

Anh and his staff have travelled to many sites in Ninh Binh and Hanoi to prepare for the filming of Blood Dragon. Filming is expected to finish in September.

VNS 

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