Celebrate the Year of the Horse with 'Legend of Da Trach' and embrace the pride of the Dragon's descendants

The film Legend of Da Trach recounts one of the most beautiful love stories in Vietnamese folklore: The romance between Princess Tien Dung and the poor man Chu Dong Tu. (Photo: Film crew)

The event captured the attention of not only cinema enthusiasts but also experts and the Vietnamese culture-loving community. It also marks Hanoi Station's entry into film production.

Inspired by the legend of Chu Dong Tu – one of the “four immortals” in Vietnamese culture and consciousness, the film Legend of Da Trach retells one of the most beautiful love stories in Vietnamese folklore: the romance between Princess Tiên Dung and the poor man Chu Dong Tu.

Set against the backdrop of ancient Vietnamese communities exploring, building, and defending their living spaces, two free-spirited individuals, rich in aspirations, transcend societal norms, class boundaries, and prejudices to be together.

Premiering just in time for Valentine’s Day and the Lunar New Year, the film offers more than an immortal love story. It takes audiences on a journey to explore the roots of the Dragon's descendants and discover one of the most brilliant cultures in the nation's history: the Đông Sơn culture.

Following Chu Dong Tu and Tien Dung, viewers gain insights into the early days of the ancient Vietnamese communities, their efforts to build and protect their living spaces, and the aspirations for prosperity of their ancestors. Here, love, filial piety, and community responsibility blend into one.

The portrayal of the two main actors in the film Legend of Da Trach. (Photo: Ly Ly)

In the film, love is both a destination and the origin of a sustainable cultural foundation and community. A love that embodies the Vietnamese spirit: humane, tolerant, and future-oriented.

Sharing at the event, Mr. Nguyen Kim Khiem, Deputy Director of the Hanoi Broadcasting and Television Agency, producer and co-director of the film, affirmed: "Legend of Da Trach is not just a film, but a cultural-creative project that contributes to spreading national identity values in a contemporary context.

Through this project, Hanoi Station continues to affirm its role as a reputable, pioneering producer, aligning with the cultural industry development strategy as per Resolution 09-NQ/TU of the Hanoi Party Committee and Decision No. 2486/QĐ-TTg dated November 14, 2025, by the Prime Minister.

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The film aims to pioneer a new genre of legendary films, exploring the depth of Vietnamese culture and history through modern, emotionally rich cinematic language with broad public appeal."

Moved after watching Legend of Da Trach, Prof. Dr. Vu Minh Giang, Chairman of the Scientific & Training Council, Vietnam National University, Hanoi; Vice President of the Vietnam Association of Historical Sciences; Member of the National Cultural Heritage Council, shared that while we have often spoken of the Hung Kings era and the Dong Son period, this is the first film to vividly and comprehensively depict that era.

The film's release is not just the result of an artistic endeavor but also holds positive significance in promoting history to the public, especially young people.

According to Mr. Giang, there have been numerous discussions among archaeologists and anthropologists, all agreeing that it is impossible to fully know stories from thousands of years ago. However, watching the film, one can see that the remaining traces have been maximally respected by the team.

The actors participating in the film Legend of Da Trach at the premiere event on the evening of February 6. (Photo: Ly Ly)

"This shows that the team conducted research, listened, and consulted experts at the highest level, achieving the highest understanding of this period to date," Prof. Dr. Vu Minh Giang commented.

The researcher added that the film faces a significant challenge when dealing with one of the "four immortals" (Chu Dong Tu) – characters with sacred significance. If not careful, it could face strong public backlash. However, it is gratifying that the work has achieved a certain harmony by combining unclear legends to create a character with spiritual symbolism.

According to him, history is what has passed and is preserved in culture. Recreating and exploiting history as a resource to produce worthy works is a continuous learning process. "Legend of Da Trach is thus one of the commendable efforts. Hopefully, in the future, there will be more films like this, especially as Vietnam develops its cultural industry," he said.

Legend of Da Trach will officially premiere nationwide from February 10, expected to open a new direction for the Vietnamese legendary film genre, approaching history with modern cinematic language, easily accessible to young audiences.

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