“Tro tan ruc ro” (Glorious Ashes) has become Vietnam’s representative in the preliminary round of the international feature film category at the 2024 Oscars.

Vi Kien Thanh, Head of the Vietnam Cinema Department confirmed that the film had been chosen with the highest vote by the Minister of Culture, Sports, and Tourism on Wednesday.

“This is the decision made by the national council tasked with picking films for the Oscars,” he said.

The poster of the film "Tro tan ruc to"

"Tro tan ruc ro" was directed by Bui Thac Chuyen as an adaptation of two short stories – "Tro tan ruc ro" and "Cui muc troi ve' (Floating Rotten Wood) written by renowned Vietnamese writer Nguyen Ngoc Tu, both of which depict women in rural villages in Vietnam’s southern region.

Chuyen narrates the fate of devastated people in Thom Rom hamlet - a poignant Western fishing village in the southernmost Ca Mau province. The film centers on the unusual love lives of three women. Their story presents a contrast between the tumultuous feelings within and the tranquillity of the region in which they reside.

Director Chuyen and the film crew spent seven years preparing for the film. Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, the film crew had to reproduce it several times and faced numerous challenges. However, “Tro tan ruc ro” has gained recognition and received numerous honors.

Director Bui Thac Chuyen and the film crew of the film “Tro tan ruc ro”

In December 2022, the film was officially released to Vietnamese audiences and was warmly received by both critics and the general public. Especially, it won the ‘Golden Balloon’ (Montgolfière d’or), the most prestigious award, at the Festival des 3 Continents 2022 in France.

On September 9, “Tro tan ruc ro” was honored with Best Feature Film and Best Cinematography at the Golden Kite Awards, organized annually by the Vietnam Cinematography Association. Chuyen also secured the Best Director Award.

Prior to Glorious Ashes, Chuyen had created many successful films with rave reviews such as "Song trong so hai" (Living in Fear), "Choi voi" (Adrift), and "Loi nguyen huyet ngai" (RH108). His documentary about ordinary people during the COVID-19 pandemic, entitled "Khong so hai" (No Fear), won the Silver Kite Award in the Documentary Category of Vietnam's Golden Kite Awards 2021.

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