20th CENTURY VIỆT NAM: A scene in the 37-part series Duyên Kiếp (The Life), a TV show featuring young farmers living in the southern region in the 1940s-60s. — Photo courtesy of the producer

VĨNH LONG — A TV series about young farmers living in the southern region in the 1940s-60s has made a deep impression on audiences after airing on Vĩnh Long Radio & Television.

The 37-part series, Duyên Kiếp (The Life), portrays the lives of two single women who face challenges in love and work.

It focuses on Huệ and Lan, and their difficulties in life and work that poor farmers face daily under the colonial rule of the French in Việt Nam.

The south's history and culture are also highlighted.

The series is based on the cải lương (reformed opera) play of the same name written by Hoàng Song Việt.

“My film, Duyên Kiếp, shows how young women were able to fight and redirect their life after suffering. The traditional values kept by different generations in the rural areas of south Việt Nam are also highlighted,” said the film’s director Lê Thiện, who has 15 years in the industry.

“My film’s female characters are young, brave and ambitious, and use their knowledge and skills to escape from destiny.”

FARM LIFE: Young actress Trương Mỹ Nhân performs in Duyên Kiếp (TheLife), a TV show based on the cải lương (reformed opera) play of the same name written by Hoàng Song Việt. — Photo courtesy of the producer

Thiện‘s staff travelled and worked with local farmers of the Cửu Long (Mekong) Delta River provinces to capture beautiful scenes of traditional culture and rural life.

He invited young actresses Trương Mỹ Nhân and Ngô Phương Anh to play leading roles. Veteran actors Trương Minh Quốc Thái and Khương Thịnh are also included.

In an interview with local media before its premiere on August 7, Thiện said that he had hired talented artists because they would be a “guarantee for my work’s success.”

“Duyên Kiếp features historical events under the colonial rule of the French in Việt Nam. I wanted my production’s characters to tell lively stories. Young people will improve their knowledge about the country’s history after watching.”

Duyên Kiếp airs on THVL1 at 8pm every Saturday and Sunday. — VNS