This is one of the activities within the goal of innovating teaching methods, aiming to bring students a more vivid and realistic approach to the literary works they have learned in the program. The event is also a tribute to the soldiers who lived and devoted their lives to the independence of the nation, reminding the younger generation to always remember the painful but extremely heroic years of the nation. After the film screening, delegates listened to the sharing about post-war war literature and the adaptation of literary works to the screen.
Attending the film screening and discussion were representatives of the Faculty Board and lecturers of the Faculty of Literature, the Board of Directors of the High School for Gifted Students in Social Sciences and Humanities, University of Social Sciences and Humanities; representatives of the film crew “The Returner” (Army Film Studio), including director, Meritorious Artist Dang Thai Huyen, filmmaker Vu Thi Thu Huong; and many students of the High School for Gifted Students and students of the University of Social Sciences and Humanities.
The film “The Returner” is adapted from the short story “The Person at the Chau River Wharf” by writer Suong Nguyet Minh. The film is a story about the lives of soldiers in the post-war period interwoven with scenes of fierce battlefields. The main character of the film is May - a brave female military doctor who spent her youth on the battlefield. When peace was restored, May quietly returned with both physical and mental wounds and continued new “wars”.
On behalf of the High School for the Gifted in Social Sciences and Humanities, Principal Nguyen Quang Lieu thanked the Faculty of Literature Trade Union and the High School Trade Union for coming up with ideas and organizing meaningful activities for students of the School; and shared: this is one of the activities that the School Board of Directors pays great attention to in order to innovate teaching methods, providing students with more diverse and vivid approaches to the content of knowledge in textbooks of Literature, History, and Geography. Literary works and lessons on national history during the war have been taught by teachers, but through cinema, students will have more intuitive and authentic feelings and bring deeper emotions. Principal Nguyen Quang Lieu also expressed his deep gratitude to director Dang Thai Huyen, ... for coming to exchange and share very interesting information about the "kitchen" story of making the film "The Returner" as well as about the production process of a film.
The principal of the High School for the Gifted in Social Sciences and Humanities highly appreciated the humanistic values that the film conveyed to students through the story and emotional situations.
Sharing at the discussion, Director Dang Thai Huyen said: “Adapting a literary work into a film script is a fairly familiar and convenient way of doing things when there is already an idea, setting, and theme. However, when people are too impressed by a famous literary work, it will be difficult to accept a different way of expressing it. This is a huge pressure for young directors, especially in the context of many good films of Vietnamese cinema on post-war themes. Therefore, how to both portray the value of a literary work and still bring new feelings, touching the hearts of the audience is a question that the film crew is extremely concerned about.”
Director Dang Thai Huyen shared: Through the title "The Returner", the film crew wanted to tell the story of the fate of people in the Vietnamese countryside in general during the post-war period, not just limited to a specific location.
Ms. Vu Thi Thu Huong (student of K51, Faculty of Literature) expressed: When I sat down to watch with the students, I was extremely moved. The film was released exactly 10 years ago, and today, I can still witness the applause, the "oh" sounds at the unexpected situations in the film, or the emotional tears of the young audience. It is truly a boundless happiness. That is a great recognition and encouragement for the dedication of the film crew from the director, screenwriter, cameraman, and actors. We hope that through these cinematic works, we will bring to students - the young audience - the most authentic approach to the tragic but heroic historical period of the nation; respect and gratitude for the losses and sacrifices of soldiers on the battlefield as well as in post-war life.
Cinematographer Vu Thi Thu Huong tells a touching story about the difficulties and hardships of the film crew when filming in the winter weather conditions of Northern Vietnam with temperatures of 5-8 degrees Celsius, when actors were immersed in water for hours or in pouring rain.
After the film ended, students shared their very emotional feelings when witnessing the physical and mental pain of the main character in the film. The realistic scenes, interspersed with the past and present, the bomb explosions, the wounded soldiers, etc., did not appear too densely but were enough to make the audience feel the fierceness on the battlefield. And the consequences of war still exist on the bodies and souls of post-war soldiers, making them feel inferior and not dare to accept new happiness. But the details about love between men and women, comradeship, village love, etc. and a beautiful ending brought the audience a sense of profound human values. Despite carrying heavy physical and mental wounds, people still overcome that pain to think about the happiness of others. That is the highest value that each literary and cinematic work brings to readers.
In addition, students feel extremely proud that among the writers, directors, screenwriters, filmmakers, etc., there are many people who are former students of the School. With the experiences shared by successful people, students can learn about interesting careers related to the fields of art and cinema in the future, and determine the field they will pursue.
Students from the University of Social Sciences and Humanities asked the film crew many questions about the context and the difficulties and challenges when producing a film about the post-war theme.
Dr. Nguyen Nam Hoang shared: I have read and re-read the short story "Nguoi ve wharf song Chau" by writer Suong Nguyet Minh many times, but when watching this film by director Dang Thai Huyen, I still feel overwhelmed with emotions. Therefore, we are very grateful to the Board of Directors of the University of Social Sciences and Humanities and the High School for the Gifted for always supporting and creating conditions for students to enjoy many famous films right on the school campus, providing vivid materials for History and Literature lessons, while also bringing them very deep emotions. Meeting and interacting with famous writers, directors, screenwriters, producers, and actors; including many former students of the School,... is not only an opportunity for students to understand more about the beauty and value of works of art, the humanistic messages that the authors want to convey, but also provides opportunities to connect about practice, reality in the learning process, as well as jobs for students after graduation.
Dr. Nguyen Thi Nam Hoang (Deputy Head of the Faculty of Literature) highly appreciated the significance of the film screening and thanked the film crew for sharing a lot of useful information.
Dr. Nguyen Phuong Lien (Faculty of Literature) shared more information about the plan to coordinate with the Faculty of Literature union and the Specialized High School in selecting films adapted from literary works to be shown at the School in the near future.
At the end of the discussion, on behalf of all students, Associate Professor Dr. Nguyen Quang Lieu once again thanked the film crew as well as the school's leadership and the Faculty of Literature for organizing an extremely meaningful and practical activity, bringing a new and lively approach to the lessons in the classroom. "In the coming time, the University of Social Sciences and Humanities and the High School for the Gifted will promote this activity, continue to select suitable film works to screen and organize many discussions, exchanges and sharing with the participation of famous writers, literary critics, directors, actors, etc. ..." - Principal Nguyen Quang Lieu shared.
