Vision: Director Le Hoang Hoa.

HCM CITY — One of Viet Nam's most well-known film directors, Le Hoang Hoa, passed away at Nhan Dan Hospital in HCM City yesterday. He was 79.

Hoa, who made more than 100 films and videos, rose to fame in the late 1960s with many films including the sentimental film Chan Troi Tim (Violet Horizon) and the action film Vet Thu Tren Lung Ngua Hoang (Hatred on Back of a Wild Horse).

After liberation of south Viet Nam in 1975, the director made several films but the most well-known one was the eight-episode TV series Van Bai Lat Ngua (Show Down), which was shown on the national television in 1980.

The film follows the intelligence operations conducted by a North Viet Nam spy Nguyen Thanh Luan in the Sai Gon administration in south Viet Nam. It received warm a warm welcome from audiences around the country.

In 2007, after nearly 15 years living in Poland, Hoa returned to Viet Nam.

Hoa will be cremated at Binh Hung Hoa Cemetery on Friday morning. — VNS