A Time Far Past
(Thoi xa vang)
by Ho Quang Minh
Vietnam
Director: Ho Quang Minh
Script: Ho Quang Minh
Cinematographer: Tran Hung
Editing: Fabrice Salinié
Art Director: Nguyen Nguyen Vu
Costumes: Dang Thi Tinh
Sound: Hoang Anh, Didier Lozahic
Music: Dang Huu Phuc
Cast: Ho Phuong Dung, Ngô The Quân, Nguyen Van Minh, Nguyen Thi Huyen
Production:
Solimane Productions
5 passage Piver
75011 Paris
Tel: 0033 1.40.21.58.00
Fax: 0033 1.40.21.58.01
Mail: [email protected]
Year: 2004
35 mm, Colour, 109 min
OV Vietnamese with French Subtitles
Unreleased
French Premiere
Sai is only twelve years old when his family marries him to Tuyet, an eighteen-year old uneducated girl. The two families are very different. From Tuyet’s side every one has welcomed the French presence whereas Sai’s family belongs to the educated revolutionary vietminh people. Young Sai prefers to spend his time playing at soldiers, doing his home work or meeting his old friend Kien on his raft, rather than stay with his wife. War is about to end. His elder brother Tinh and his uncle Ha have important positions within the party organisation. They take a dim view of the dissension within Sai’s marriage and force him to promise "to love his wife". At the age of 18, Sai falls in love with Huong, a class-mate. Their mutual love is impossible and Sai has to enrol in the army. He keeps dreaming about this impossible love with Huang. His superiors interfere to separate the two lovers and bring the legitimate couple together. Tuyet is now pregnant, Huang is hurt and gets married, Sai’s superiors refuse him his admission to the Party, and his old friend Kien has passed away ... Sai is sent to the south front.