CINEMATIC HISTORY: The first sketches for Đại Chiến Bạch Đằng Giang (The Battle of Bạch Đằng River), a new film by blockbuster director Phan Gia Nhật Linh. Photo courtesy of the producer

HCM CITY — Blockbuster director Phan Gia Nhật Linh of HCM City has launched his latest project about Vietnamese history under the Trần Dynasty.

The film, Đại Chiến Bạch Đằng Giang (The Battle of Bạch Đằng River), will feature the Bạch Đằng Battle of 938 on the Bạch Đằng River between Vietnamese troops, led by Ngô Quyền, and Chinese invaders under the Han Dynasty.

General Quyền asked his soldiers to plant iron-headed wooden stakes, invisible during high tides, into the riverbed.

After Quyền launched a counter-attack at low tide, the enemy's large boats ran aground as they were pierced by the long stakes.

The victory of Bạch Đằng ended the 1,000-year Chinese domination, opening a period of Việt Nam's independence and sovereignty.

The first sketches of the film were introduced to the public on December 19, attracting many movie fans and critics.

Director Linh and his staff from AIOI Studios are working on pre-production of the film. They have also invited investors to be involved in their project.

“My new film, Bạch Đằng Giang, is part of the long-term project on making historical films featuring Vietnamese history launched by AIOI Studios and their partners,” said Linh. “I wanted to capture Vietnamese national heroes on film. I hope youngsters will improve their knowledge of the country’s history through my art.”

US TRAINED: Blockbuster director Phan Gia Nhật Linh of HCM City got a scholarship in film, offered by the Ford Foundation, at the University of Southern California in 2006. Photo courtesy of the producer

Linh began his career as a film critic. He got a scholarship in film offered by the Ford Foundation at the University of Southern California in 2006.

He worked with talented film directors, such as Vietnamese-American Charlie Nguyễn and Nguyễn Quang Dũng, before releasing his first comedy film, Em Là Bà Nội Của Anh (Sweet 20), in 2015.

His second film, Cô Gái Đến Từ Hôm Qua (The Girl from Yesterday), a romantic production, was released in 2017.

Both films were blockbusters, earning more than VNĐ20 billion (US$850,000) each in just the first week of release.

In 2020, he worked on the $1 million comedy entitled Trạng Tí (Child Master) featuring Vietnamese folk stories.

Linh’s latest film, Em và Trịnh (You and Trịnh), a production on the late famous songwriter Trịnh Công Sơn, earned VNĐ100 billion ($4.1 million) in ticket sales after five weeks of its release starting on June. — VNS