The road ahead: A scene in Dinh Tuan Vu's feature film Va Anh Se Tro Lai (So I'll Be Back) on the culture and lifestyle of the ethnic Mong people living in Viet Nam's northwest region. — VNS Photo

HCM CITY (VNS)— A feature film on the culture and lifestyle of the ethnic Mong people living in Viet Nam's northwest region will be screened next week.

The work, titled Va Anh Se Tro Lai (So I'll Be Back), is directed by young talent Dinh Tuan Vu, a graduate of the Ha Noi Theatre and Cinematography University.

Based on a screenplay by Trinh Luu Dieu Thuy, it is about the life and love of Su – a Mong woman who lives in a small village in Moc Chau District of Son La Province.

The film recounts Su's time as a young girl in her affair with Nicky – a harmonica artist, who visits Moc Chau to find a new source of inspiration.

The film's 24-year-old director Vu, said he and his staff chose Thuy's screenplay because few films had done so.

"Mong people in our work are fiercely independent and rich in their culture, art, religion, family life and martial history. They are distinguished by traditional costumes featuring colourful patterns of fruits, vegetables, and animals."

"We wanted to spotlight the Mong people and their culture, lifestyle, and traditional art," he said.

Vu said his crew travelled around Lao Cai and then in Son La Province.

They captured beautiful scenes of Moc Chau and Sapa in Spring when peach blossoms were in bloom.

Amateur artisans from local traditional art troupes were also featured in the film.

The film will be shown at MegaStar cinemas – one of the country's leading cinema and distribution groups.

There are nearly 900,000 Mong people in the northwest region, mostly in the provinces of Lao Cai and Son La.

They live in different groups and are easily recognised by the way they dress and their traditions.

The Black Mong are best known for their handicraft and their traditional indigo blue dress, while Flower Mong wear colourful clothes.

The Mong celebrate their New Year's festival from November 30 to December 5 of the lunar calendar.

During the festival, in traditional Mong clothes, they show off their talent in singing and dancing featuring their religion, traditional customs and art.

Through their shows, Mong youth can improve their knowledge about traditional culture and art.

At the festival, local residents and visitors can take part in music and singing programmes, traditional games and sports competitions launched by the local authorities. — VNS