A scene in “Kieu” shot in Hue Citadel
As the studio for many famous movies
The places in Hue where the well-received movie "Dreamy Eyes" had been shot became hot as soon as the filmmakers released its first trailer with dreamlike scenes. Many people rushed to the peaceful countryside, the “lonely tree” by the village road, Do Do Primary School in Ha Cang Village (Quang Phu, Quang Dien) to check in.
From the good effect of "Dreamy Eyes,” local people and tourists have discovered many other new and beautiful angles at Bao Vinh Old Quarter, Thien An Hill, Vong Canh Hill, etc.
The success of “Camellia Sisters III” and “Camellia Sisters V” by the director duo Bao Nhan-Nam Cito also contributed to promoting the beauty spots in Hue. The well-known places appeared in the movies with a different nuance. An Hien Garden House, Boi Tran Villa, Truong Tien Bridge, Nghinh Luong Dinh, etc. in "Camellia Sisters III,” Hue Citadel, Minh Mang Mausoleum, An Dinh Palace, etc. in "Camellia Sisters V" became even more ancient, majestic, and poetic.
With 70% of the scenes shot in Hue, the movie "Kieu" left a strong impression on the viewer. Such beautiful places as the Citadel, Gia Long Mausoleum, the wharf in Phuoc Tich Ancient Village, Ve Nguon Ecotourist Village, Thao Nhi Villa, etc., are quite suitable for historical movies.
In recent years, Hue has attracted many filmmakers
According to the producer and director Mai Thu Huyen, Vietnamese historical films encounter many difficulties in finding the setting since there has not been any professional studio that meets directors’ requirements. Bad settings can ruin historical films. With ancient architecture and atmosphere and poetic landscape, Hue meets requirements to become a studio for historical movies.
In the past, there have been many famous films that chose Hue as their setting such as “Indochina,” “Royal Candles,” “The Moon at the Bottom of the Well,” “The Girl on the River,” etc. They not only brought back financial benefits but many of them also won prestigious prizes. The 1992 French film “Indochine” was the first foreign movie to be filmed in the palaces and royal mausoleums in Hue and won an Oscar for the best foreign-language film.
After a rather quiet period, "The Muse of Hue" by the director duo Bao Nhan - Nam Cito released in 2018 marked the beginning of many film projects shot in Hue. Ancient relics, charming scenery, the profound look of the former imperial capital with unique cuisine and lifestyle attracts many filmmakers.
Introducing Hue to filmmakers
“To me, the setting is the main attraction of the movie. As for “Dreamy Eyes,” we considered many places and found out that Hue was the most perfect place for the film. Hue owns poetic landscape, quiet atmosphere and very literary. When our actors and actresses dressed up for their characters entered the frame with the bucolic background behind, everything suddenly became so poetic. Emotions were therefore multiplied,’ said director Victor Vu.
A number of film projects exploiting settings in Hue are the “handshake” between the local authorities and filmmakers to promote the landscape and heritage of Hue through cinema. Beautiful scenes in movies not only leave in viewer’s admiration, but also urge them to come to experience and explore a well-known tourist place.
According to the director of "Dreamy Eyes,” with its beauty recognized by the whole world, Hue certainly has the potential to become a big film studio in the future. “Not only I, but also many other filmmakers are interested in the beauty of Hue. In order to attract more filmmakers, Hue needs to provide film producers with more information in a friendly manner and be willing to support them. Many film companies, both domestic and foreign, want to make movies in Hue, but they lack information. We should promote the beautiful scenery of Hue, introduce the prominent movies with Hue as the setting, improve multimedia communication, organize seminars on cinema and tourism, etc., to attract filmmakers as well as develop tourism through cinema,” said Victor Vu.
After 22 years, Thua Thien Hue hosts again the 22nd Vietnam Film Festival. This is an opportunity for famous producers, directors, actors and actresses across the country to gather together and to promote the heritage and culture of Hue to attract filmmakers.
“We not only introduce and promote Hue in many ways, but also organize sightseeing tours for directors, actors, actresses and film crews so that they can explore, survey, and know more about the heritage, culture, art, nature and people of Hue, giving rise to new ideas for their creativity using Hue as the setting for their movies, video clips and music videos,” said Dr. Pham Thanh Hai, Director of Hue Department of Culture and Sports.
Hopefully after the 22nd Vietnam Film Festival, many film producers and directors will choose Hue as the studio for their many film projects in the future.
Story: Trang Hien - Photos provided by film crews.