Discussion "Realistic cinema or simulation of life"

The seminar was attended by director Tran Thanh Huy, rapper Wowy and lecturers from the Department of Art Studies, Faculty of Literature, University of Social Sciences and Humanities, along with a large audience of movie lovers in Hanoi.

Opening the discussion, Dr. Hoang Cam Giang,tor on behalf of the Department of Art Studies shared: “Besides the independent directors who have affirmed their talent and style such as Siu Pham, Phan Dang Di, Nguyen Hoang Diep, Nguyen Trinh Thi…, the younger generation such as Pham Ngoc Lan, Tran Bao, Nguyen Le Hoang Viet, Tran Thanh Huy… have breathed new life into contemporary Vietnamese cinema. The news that "Rom" won an award at the Busan Film Festival is not only good news for the filmmaking community or the director alone, but also for the entire film academic research community like us and all cinema-loving audiences in Vietnam. I would like to sincerely thank filmmakers like Tran Thanh Huy for bringing a kind of cinema that is not simply “reflecting reality” – something that the press has done very well – but also seeks out and discovers the beauty hidden behind the mud, dust, behind the hardships and humiliations.”

Continuing the theme of realism and simulating life in cinema, director Tran Thanh Huy said: "Film is life and life is also film. We cannot completely bring a real life onto the screen, but always need to go through processing. Processing here means we have to combine the souls of artists and the materials of life to create a film."

According to director Tran Thanh Huy, the material of life in "Rom" comes from street artists. In order to create the most realistic setting, the filmmaking team had to research and experience real life outside to bring those things to the film, creating the most unique atmosphere. Another material of life that Tran Thanh Huy received came from the director's relationship with the song "Run" by Wowy: "The song has the material of life, the material of Saigon. It contains very simple, honest words and all come from street artists, in this case Wowy".

Director Tran Thanh Huy

Especially at the discussion, Wowy revealed a few details about his character in the film: "My role plays the role of a link connecting everything that happens in the film and will be an important role."

The discussion was a great success and left many impressions on the audience. Director Tran Thanh Huy hopes that through the journey of "Rom" and the achievements that the film has achieved up to now, young filmmakers in Vietnam will be given more confidence, so that in the future, Vietnamese cinema can produce more quality works.