HCM CITY — When the young beauty Minh was featured in the TV series Am Tinh (The Negative) last month, many Vietnamese parents hoped that their children will learn a valuable lesson from her case.
Directed by Phuong Dien, the much-anticipated film portrays the lives of young girls, focusing on Minh, a young beauty.
After becoming a queen in a national beauty contest, Minh, who lives in a rural area, gains fame and glory.
As an innocent girl, Minh faces many difficulties, and begins to smoke and drink and sleep with rich people to earn more money.
Her family and good friends admonish her about her lifestyle, but she refuses to listen.
After finally attempting to get her life back on the right path, she tragically finds out that she has AIDS.
Eager to show how young girls have been led astray and are determined to redirect their life, the producer, HCM City Television-Film Studios (TFS), pays close attention to every detail in the movie.
Key parts of the film script, written by Nguyen Quang Lap, a popular author and screenplay writer, were rewritten during the shooting.
Based on the life and death of Lam Uyen Nhi, a former beauty queen living in the central city of Nha Trang, Lap, drawing on his emotions, based his story on a good girl who was wronged in life and love.
"Lap's story was very interesting. I just needed to make the screenplay better suited to my film," the film's director, Dien, said.
One of the city's younger talents, Dien and his staff worked very hard "to attract large young audiences, despite the domination of Chinese and South Korean films on local television," he said.
Before making Am Tinh, Dien asked his actors to visit nightclubs and drug detoxification centres around the city.
"I wanted the film to accurately reflect the true lives of victims of their own lifestyle. I want Minh's life to be a realistic story."
"I contacted many bar girls who earn a living in the darker places of the city. Thus, I could understand the girls' lives and hardships they face," said the movie's leading actress Mai Phuong Thuy, who plays Minh.
As the 2006 Miss Viet Nam, Thuy is experienced in performing as a beauty queen.
She performed in Am Tinh because she believes the film could help young people live the right way.
In a recent interview with local media, Thuy said: "I love this movie and my role. I can learn about different experiences and feel more confident and powerful to fight my own problems. I believe young audiences will like this film."
Thuy is particularly enthusiastic about a scene in which Minh began to turn back to the right side just after she learns she is HIV-positive. Minh is very young and she doesn't want to die.
"Minh wants to recommence her life but it is too late for her. I hope no youngsters will ever follow in her footsteps," she said.
Vietnamese youngsters now face more moral challenges than their parents did in the past.
Lifestyle
They have daily contact with the Western lifestyle through TV, newspapers and books.
Sometimes they do not realise their own limits, and they are swept away by the excitement of social relationships, money, and sex instead of studying hard at school.
To solve problems in their lives, some young people tend to choose devious paths if they don't receive good advice from their parents and teachers.
"Minh's tragedy gives the warning of danger to youth," said Nguyen Be Tu, a resident of District 8, mother of two young girls.
The 20-part Am Tinh series is broadcast on HCM City Television's channel 9. — VNS