HCM CITY — A television series on the life of Vietnamese revolutionaries in Con Dao Prison will be filmed this month by the Viet Nam Film Studio (VFS) and HCM City Television (HTV).
The 30-part series, Cuoc Vuot Nguc Than Kyø (Perfect Gaolbreak), is based on a screenplay by Dinh Thien Phuc. It cost VND10.8 million (US$500,000).
The series' film production manager is Vuong Duc, the director, Vu Xuan Hung, and the cameraman, Vu Quoc Tuan.
The story is about the life of Vietnamese revolutionaries sent to Con Dao Prison during 1948 and 1950 while the war of resistance against the French colonialists was at its height.
It recounts a gaolbreak of a group of prisoners led by Hoang Bach, a revolutionary who was sentenced to 20 years.
Located on Con Dao Island, Con Dao Prison is known as the "Hell on Earth" where more than 200,000 prisoners, including leading Vietnamese revolutionaries, were jailed and nearly 20,000 died in atrocious conditions under the French and US-backed Sai Gon regimes.
Today, many cells and areas of the prison are preserved in memory of the country's national heroes.
"Through the film, we wanted to spotlight Vietnamese revolutionaries' remarkable spirit and work in achieving the country's freedom," Hung said.
After casting the roles, Hung and his crew will begin filming in Con Dao Prison later next month and then in HCM City.
To complete the film, Hung and his staff have conducted research on the prisoners.
"We wanted to help young audiences understand the spirit and revolutionary cause of Con Dao prisoners in Vietnamese history," he said. Post-production work on the film will be completed in February. — VNS