Blockbuster director Phan Gia Nhat 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) The film, Dai Chien Bach Dang Giang (The Battle onBach Dang River), will feature the Bach Dang Battle of 938 on the Bach Dang Riverbetween Vietnamese troops, led by Ngo Quyen, and Chinese invaders under the HanDynasty.
Quyen asked his soldiers to plant iron-headed wooden stakes, invisible duringhigh tides, into the riverbed.
After Quyen launched a counter-attack at low tide, the enemy's large boats ranaground as they were pierced by the long stakes.
The victory of Bach Dang ended the 1,000-year Chinese domination, opening aperiod of Vietnam’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 ofthe film. They have also invited investors to be involved in their project.
“My new film, Bac DangGiang, is part of the long-term project on making historical filmsfeaturing Vietnamese history launched by AIOI Studios and their partners,” saidLinh. “I wanted to capture Vietnamese national heroes on film. I hopeyoungsters will improve their knowledge of the country’s history through myart.”
Linh began his career as a film critic. He got a scholarship in film offered bythe Ford Foundation at the University of Southern California in 2006.
He worked with talented film directors, such as Vietnamese-American CharlieNguyen and Nguyen Quang Dung, before releasing his first comedy film, Em La Ba Noi Cua Anh (Sweet 20), in2015.
His second film, Co Gai DenTu Hom Qua (The Girl from Yesterday), a romantic production, wasreleased in 2017.
Both films were blockbusters, earning more than 20 billion VND (850,000 USD)each in just the first week of release.
In 2020, he worked on the 1 million USD comedy entitled Trang Ti (Child Master) featuringVietnamese folk stories.
Linh’s latest film, Em va Trinh (Youand Trinh), a production on the late famous songwriter Trinh Cong Son, earned 100billion VND (4.1 million USD) in ticket sales after five weeks of its releasestarting on June./.
VNA
