Hộ Linh Tráng Sĩ – Bí Ẩn Mộ Vua Đinh (Spirit Guardians: The Last Secret of The First Emperor) will be screened at the 51st Toronto International Film Festival. — Photo courtesy of BHD

HÀ NỘI — Director Phan Quang Bình's blockbuster Hộ Linh Tráng Sĩ – Bí Ẩn Mộ Vua Đinh (Spirit Guardians: The Last Secret of The First Emperor) is one of only two Asian films competing at the 51st Toronto International Film Festival from September 10 to 20.

The film will vie for the Rogers People's Choice Award in the Gala Presentations category at the festival. Last year, Toronto audiences selected Chloé Zhao's Hamnet as the winner.

It is also in contention for the NETPAC Award, presented by the Network for the Promotion of Asian Cinema, and the FIPRESCI Prize, awarded by an international jury appointed by the International Federation of Film Critics.

The film tells the story of seven heroes endowed with extraordinary strength and indomitable spirit. After the death of King Đinh Tiên Hoàng (924- 979), they were entrusted with a top-secret mission.

It is a tale of family love, teacher-student bonds, romantic relationships and unwavering loyalty to serve, embodying the desire to protect the nation's sacred land.

Bình, renowned for films such as Vũ Khúc Con Cò (The Dance of The Stork), Cánh Đồng Bất Tận (The Floating Lives), Quyên, and Bí Mật Của Gió (The Secret of the Wind).

Among these, The Floating Lives was the first arthouse movie to break box office records in Việt Nam, while The Dance of The Stork was the first international collaboration about the American War in Việt Nam set in Việt Nam.

This year’s Gala and Special Presentations feature films from nearly 30 countries, highlighting distinctive artistic visions by leading global directors including Pedro Almodóvar, and Danny Boyle. 

The programmes are popular with TIFF audiences for their glitzy A-list red carpets and future award winners, as well as for presenting a curated collection of films that reflect the diversity and creativity of today’s filmmaking landscape. 

The other Asian film is The Assassin(s) by South Korean director Hur Jin-ho. — VNS