HA NOI — A middle-aged woman from a rural family leaves her village, separating from her husband – a war veteran – to push him into a marriage with another woman.
After she gave birth three times to babies with deformities, she feels she's left with no other choice.
Later, she comes to know that her ex-husband suffered dioxin poisoning because of the Agent Orange sprayed by American forces during the war in Viet Nam, and that his new, young wife is also similarly affected. She returns home to take care of him after the wife runs away, fleeing from the truth.
This is the main storyline of 13 Ben Nuoc (Thirteen Wharves) directed by 27-year-old Dang Thai Huyen.
The 80-minute film won the female movie director the Golden Lotus for best video film at the 2009 Viet Nam Film Festival, hosted every three years by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism.
Huyen's work also took home four top prizes, including the best director, best leading actor and actress, best supporting actor and best cameraman.
"My producers believe in its young staff and we didn't disappoint them," Huyen said in a recent interview with the HCM City-based Sai Gon Giai Phong (Liberated Sai Gon) newspaper.
Huyen said that because the film's budget was tough for a State-owned enterprise like the Army Film Company, they found it hard to maintain top quality in all their activities.
"I'm inexperienced in making a film featuring postwar problems, but I was confident because I received great support from the producer and my staff." Huyen's first work was a 25-minute short film, Coi Vui (The Moment of Life), delving into the secrets of homosexual people. It won the hearts of critics and fans alike. She made the film when she was still at school, spending all of her savings of about VND30 million (nearly US$2,000 then) on it.
Later, she spent three years working as an executive director for well-known director Khac Loi, who has won top prizes at national film festivals.
Graduating from the Ha Noi Theatre and Cinematography College in 2005, Huyen has thus far directed one documentary film and six educational TV serials.
Two of her films, Dem Vung Bien (The Border Area's Night) and De Lai Mua Xuan (Spring Forever), dealing with soldiers' work and lives, also won acclaim.
Dem Vung Bien won the second prize at the 2006 National Film Festival. One year later, the TV series De Lai Mua Xuan received a certificate from the 2007 Golden Kite Prize awarded every year by the Viet Nam Cinematography Association.
"My productions are serious works leaving lessons for audiences. I always try my best to make them lively," said Huyen. She believes younger fans want a change from the usual entertainment stuff.
"I felt that the smaller audience numbers during the economic downturn could have been caused by the influx of boring films – films that do not capture the interest of younger fans. I wanted to change it."
Huyen said that she hopes youngsters will be able to see themselves through her films and learn realistic lessons.
"Encouraging young film directors like Huyen to involve themselves in more quality movies is the best way to support the local film market," said director Bui Tuan Dung, a member of the 2009 Viet Nam Film Festival jury.
Huyen's new films, one a feature and another a documentary, are expected to be completed later this year.
"State-owned film companies have received several billions of dong from the Sate fund each year, but their films are still ignored by young audiences. "One of the answers to the problem is to give young artists more opportunities to produce what audiences want to see," he said. — VNS