VNU-USSH students have the opportunity to learn about classic works of Vietnamese cinema.

Attending the seminar, on behalf of the University of Social Sciences and Humanities were Assoc. Prof. Dr. Bui Thanh Nam (Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee, Vice Chairman of the Council), Dr. Ngo Thi Kieu Oanh (Chairperson of the University's Trade Union), former leaders of the University, the Faculty of Literature, faculty members, and literary researchers. Nearly 500 students from the High School for Gifted Students in Social Sciences and Humanities and current students of the University also participated.
At the seminar, students had the opportunity to interact directly with People's Artist Nguyen Thanh Van (director of the film "Life in the Sand"), Dr. Nguyen Thi Thu Ha, Deputy Director of the Cinema Department, Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism (costume designer for the film), and Assoc. Prof. Dr. Pham Thanh Hung (former Head of the Literature Department, VNU-USSH). Immediately after the film was screened and deeply moved all viewers, a panel discussion on "Shadows of Sand" took place, moderated by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Hoang Cam Giang (Department of Art Studies) and student Nguyen Chi Thanh (Film Club, Department of Art Studies).
Associate Professor Bui Thanh Nam, on behalf of the School's leadership, expressed his gratitude to director Nguyen Thanh Van, costume designer Nguyen Thi Thu Ha, former school leaders, and leaders of the Faculty of Literature and the Department of Art Studies for dedicating their valuable time to attend today's seminar.
Highly appreciating the significance of the event, Associate Professor Bui Thanh Nam emphasized: This activity provides an opportunity for students and lecturers of the University to enjoy classic works of Vietnamese cinema in a warm and intimate setting; and to listen to insightful sharing and analysis from experts. Especially for students who love literature at the High School for Social Sciences and Humanities, and students of the new major in Cinema and Popular Arts, this event not only helps them gain more knowledge but also increases their love for and inspires new research and creative directions in this fascinating field.
Opening the discussion, speaker and director Nguyen Thanh Van shared: The film was shot more than 25 years ago when equipment was scarce, and the filming locations were scattered across Quang Tri, Quang Binh, and Hue, so the entire crew had to put in a lot of effort. To add more emphasis and creativity to the film compared to the literary work, the film crew went to great lengths to find a woman with two amputated legs (to play Ms. Hao - a supporting role) and a little girl (Canh and Tam's daughter), who was also an amateur actress the crew found in Hue. “The sacrifices of soldiers who fought directly in the war have been reflected in many works of art, so I wanted to approach it from a different perspective, that is, the image and fate of women facing the persistent spiritual losses and suffering of post-war life in rural villages. Through the fates of very ordinary, even anonymous women like Thoa, Tam, and Hao in the film, I want to convey a message: Behind those small, anonymous, silent, and miserable grains of sand lies the sparkling beauty of sacrifice, compassion, and love for humanity,” director Nguyen Thanh Van confided.
Participating in the film as a costume designer, Dr. and Meritorious Artist Nguyen Thi Thu Ha also shared many touching stories about the time from the preparation for filming to the completion of the movie.
“You are truly fortunate to be students of a leading university in the country, a well-structured institution for training in social sciences and humanities. Today's film screening and seminar is a very meaningful event. During our student years, we also admired famous actors, directors, and authors of literary, artistic, and cinematic works, but we didn't always have the opportunity to meet and interact with them directly. This is a valuable opportunity for you to see that artistic work is incredibly arduous, but if you have enough passion and determination, success will surely come. Today, you are students and audience members, but with your solid professional knowledge and valuable experiences, I am confident that after graduation, many of you will become our colleagues, continuing to participate in the creation of valuable works and contributing to the national art scene,” shared Dr. Nguyen Thi Thu Ha. According to Associate Professor Pham Thanh Hung, a lecturer, researcher, and critic of literature and film: “Life in the Sand is one of the best post-war films, depicting the tragic lives of people in a coastal fishing village. The filmmaking style is simple, the characters are portrayed naturally and gently, yet it tells a profoundly insightful story about life, human destiny, and how to accept loss and suffering in a gentle and heartfelt way.”
At the seminar, Associate Professor Pham Quang Long, Associate Professor Pham Gia Lam, researcher Tran Hinh, and Associate Professor Nguyen Ba Thanh shared their comments and highly appreciated the humanistic value of the work "Life in the Sand." They also expressed their hope that in the future, the Vietnam Film Department and other management and production units in the arts in general, and film in particular, will support and cooperate with the University of Social Sciences and Humanities in these meaningful activities, to spread the unique cultural and artistic values ​​of the nation and contribute to the training of human resources in the field of film. Dr. Tran Thanh Viet (lecturer at the High School for Gifted Students in Social Sciences and Humanities) emphasized the significance of the film from the perspective of a young audience member and a literature teacher in the school: “I have read the story and watched the film a few times, but watching it again today still evokes the same deeply moving emotions. Thank you to Director Nguyen Thanh Van and the film crew for bringing such a valuable film to the audience. Enjoying the film directly in the school environment has given the Gen Z students a truly wonderful experience. Certainly, along with the teachers' lectures and readings of literary works, directly watching classic films will not only provide them with knowledge but also evoke positive emotions, fostering love for their homeland and a noble spirit of humanism.” The film portrays the women of a poor, hardworking fishing village, who, despite bearing the physical and mental pain left by the war, do not complain, resent, or become pessimistic. Instead, they are full of love and hope for a new life, daring to love and yearning to be loved! Film is life itself; art originates from the authentic material of life. "Life on the Sand" once again depicts and celebrates the beauty of anonymous yet sparkling grains of sand, or the image of Vietnamese women, simple yet noble! "And this is also the reason why the School's Trade Union Executive Committee and the Department of Art Studies, Faculty of Literature, chose to screen this film as a token of gratitude, a wish for health, happiness, and success to all female staff, female students, and female pupils of VNU-USSH on the occasion of Vietnamese Women's Day, October 20th," shared Assoc. Prof. Dr. Hoang Cam Giang (Head of the Department of Art Studies, Faculty of Literature – the co-organizer and content designer of the event). Concluding the film screening and discussion, Dr. Ngo Thi Kieu Oanh (Chairperson of the University's Trade Union) once again expressed her deep gratitude to Director and People's Artist Nguyen Thanh Van, Dr. Nguyen Thi Thu Ha, and many other lecturers from the University of Social Sciences and Humanities for attending and sharing their insightful observations with the students. In the future, the University's Trade Union will organize more activities, creating opportunities for lecturers and students to learn more about Vietnamese literary and artistic works, serving their studies and research.” According to information from the Organizing Committee, immediately following today's film screening, on October 18th, also in this hall, the Trade Union will organize a screening of the film "Children in the Mist" and a meet-and-greet with young director Ha Le Diem. This event is part of a series of activities celebrating Vietnamese Women's Day on October 20th.