Young actress Nguyễn Hoàng Kiều Trinh performs in Lý Chiêu Hoàng (Empress), a web drama series featuring Empress regnant Lý Chiêu Hoàng, the last and only sovereign of the Lý Dynasty. The film project was launched by producer Vietnam Centre in HCM City last week. — Photo courtesy of the producer

HCM CITY — A film project on the empress regnant Lý Chiêu Hoàng, the last and only sovereign of the Lý Dynasty, has been launched in HCM City. 

The web drama series, Lý Chiêu Hoàng (Empress), tells stories about Hoàng, who ruled the kingdom of Đại Việt as queen regnant from 1924 to 1925. Later, she was forced to deliver the throne to her husband, Trần Cảnh, which ended the Lý Dynastry. 

It will also highlight the themes of patriotism, bravery and honesty as well as love and betrayal.   

The first character sketches of Hoàng and her husband Cảnh, later King Trần Thái Tông, the first king of Trần Dynastry who ruled Đại Việt for 33 years (1926-58), have been announced by the film’s producer, Vietnam Centre.  

Character sketches of Hoàng’s father, King Lý Huệ Tông, the eighth king of the Lý Dynasty, have also been introduced. 

The producer invited Korean scriptwriter Paek Seong Og to join the project. Paek will work with Vietnamese writers to complete the screenplay. 

Young actors Nguyễn Hoàng Kiều Trinh and Nguyễn Phúc Quý Quang will play the leading roles.  

“I think Vietnamese history is an endless source of passion for filmmakers. I hope the web drama Lý Chiêu Hoàng will bring a new taste of fantasy-history film to audiences,” said Trần Tuất Kiệt, a second-year student at the HCM City University of Culture.

In March, a film project about the early Lê Dynasty and Lý Dynasty was launched. The fantasy film, Huyết Rồng (Blood Dragon) by young director Huỳnh Tuấn Anh will include two chapters featuring the emperors and heroes of the two dynasties. 

Character sketches for Huyết Rồng (Blood Dragon), a fantasy film about the emperors and heroes of the early Lê and Ly dynasties by young director Huỳnh Tuấn Anh of HCM City. The film is expected to be released in December. — Photo courtesy of the producer

General Lê Hoàn, who served the Đinh Dynasty in 979, and King Lý Thái Tổ, the first king of the Lý Dynasty from 1010 to 1028, will be featured. 

Director Anh invited dozens of historians and cultural researchers, including historian Nguyễn Khắc Thuần and Professor Lê Văn Lan, to complete the screenplay. 

“Hundreds of costumes, half of them handmade, will be used in Huyết Rồng,” said director Anh, who enjoys working with film projects about Vietnamese history. 

The producer of the drama series Lý Chiêu Hoàng is working with famous actors on casting. 

Filming is expected to begin in July. — VNS