The documentary "Vietnam Women's Football, The First Time Told" is not only a film recording the historic journey of the Vietnam women's football team at the FIFA Women's World Cup 2023, but also an emotional story about the relentless efforts of the female players. Through the lens of director Nguyen Thi Tham, the audience can relive the memorable moments, the sweat, the tears and the joy of victory of the girls. The film is like a love song dedicated to Vietnamese women's football, a tribute to those who have contributed to the development of this sport.
The launch event took place on the occasion of Vietnamese Women's Day, October 20, contributing to honoring the silent yet courageous efforts of Vietnamese women. The 78-minute film was invested and produced by Vietcontent, the producer is Viewfinder company.
The story of 30 years of development of Vietnamese women's football is told for the first time through the lens of director Nguyen Thi Tham.
“This is the story of the Vietnamese women's football team, as a colorful independent character, with an inspiring path, breaking the usual feminist stereotypes on the male-female comparison axis. There is no slogan "Women can do anything men can do", they play football with all the qualities of a woman, uncompromising in every arena. The purest passion is the passion without reference and surpassing oneself", director Nguyen Thi Tham shared.
From its debut at the 1997 SEA Games to its entry into the global arena at the 2023 World Cup, a 30-year journey of silence has come to light. A journey of dreams coming true, barriers being broken, brave and persistent steps from generations of athletes, creating a new standard for Vietnamese sports.
The pride of Vietnamese sports
30 years, a long and thorny journey, Vietnamese women's football has written glorious pages of history. From the 1997 SEA Games, when young girls first set foot on the regional arena, to the 2023 World Cup, when the red flag with the yellow star flutters on the world arena, Vietnamese women's football has gone through a difficult but no less heroic journey. There are feet weaving dreams, even though they stop, they still write history.
Crawling through hurtful comments, the Vietnamese women's football team still yearns to conquer their passion.
From the early, difficult days when women's football was still a new sport, to when it became the pride of the whole country, the girls have proven that there is no limit to effort and hard work. Every silent sacrifice, every tear, every bit of sweat is cherished, captured, kept, and built into films.
The 30-year story is told from many perspectives.
For the first time, voices that have rarely been heard, faces that have rarely been in the spotlight, Huynh Nhu, Bich Thuy, Chuong Thi Kieu, Luu Ngoc Mai, … personally told their stories, of their miserable childhoods, of their difficult reality, and of their vast but hopeful future. Their stories are an endless source of inspiration for the younger generation, awakening faith in things that seem impossible.
“Vietnam Women’s Football, the First Time Told Story” is distributed by BHD and will be released from October 18, 2024 at 52 cinemas nationwide including BHD, CGV, Lotte and Galaxy. The film is expected to inspire audiences across the country, while honoring the journey of the women’s football team as a symbol of the broader struggle of women in society.
