Audiences will be able to admire the unique architecture, the gorgeous costumes, the sophisticated objects, all meticulously crafted to recreate a turbulent historical period in the most authentic way. At the same time, the film also demonstrates artistic creativity through character building, engaging storytelling and beautiful footage, bringing a cinematic experience that is both rich in history and art.
“Beauty cannot be forgotten, it is only reborn through time”
The story begins when Ba Hon (Song Luan), a pampered young master, returns to his homeland after years of studying in glamorous France. Carrying the free and liberal spirit of Europe, Ba Hon returns to Bac Lieu with a different style. He is the beloved son of Mr. Hoi Dong Linh (Meritorious Artist Thanh Loc), a powerful and wealthy figure in this land, and also the owner of the first bank in Vietnam at that time.
The screenwriter took the idea for the script from the life story of "Bac Lieu's playboy" - real name Tran Trinh Huy (1900-1974), famous in the early 20th century for his liberal lifestyle.
Born into luxury, Ba Hon was not shy about spending money on luxury pleasures and debauchery, demonstrating a lifestyle of enjoyment that few could match. However, life is not always a dream of roses. Excessive indulgence and ambitions beyond control pushed Ba Hon into a spiral of tragedy, even threatening the prosperity of the entire family.
The Prince of Bac Lieu, a name that has become a legend in Vietnamese culture. His fame spread so far that not only the people of the West but also people from all over the country knew the anecdotes about his life. Stories such as burning money to cook sweet soup, owning a private plane or organizing lavish parties have portrayed an image of a rich, generous and extravagant person. If American literature has “The Great Gatsby”, then Vietnam has the Prince of Bac Lieu, a character with equal appeal.
The son of Bac Lieu is famous with the nickname "the number one playboy"
Therefore, adapting his life to the big screen is inevitable and is highly anticipated by the audience. What is special is that the film does not follow a dry storytelling style, focusing on historical events. Instead, the crew cleverly incorporated creative and humorous elements, breathing new life into the familiar story, turning "The Prince of Bac Lieu" into a cinematic work that is both culturally valuable and entertaining, especially aimed at young audiences.
The work scores points when recreating the Southern region in the early 20th century through sparkling frames, from the setting to the costumes, all are carefully taken care of. To fully immerse the audience in a vivid and realistic cinematic world, the production team of "Cong Tu Bac Lieu" took a bold step: investing more than 10 billion VND in the setting. This investment is not just a number but also a testament to the seriousness and professionalism of the entire crew. The process of making the setting was carried out methodically and on a large scale, with the participation of 5 talented design teams and more than 200 skilled workers.
An ancient Southern space is recreated realistically and vividly
Within 3 months, they worked tirelessly to create important spaces, from bustling streets to majestic villas, recreating the most authentic Bac Lieu of the past. A special highlight in the production process was that the crew decided to film at the real-life villa of the Bac Lieu Prince's family. This not only helped the film achieve absolute visual authenticity but also brought a profound historical and cultural value, helping the audience feel more clearly about the living space and people of this legendary character.
The setting is a key factor contributing to the success of a historical film, and “The Prince of Bac Lieu” has proven it excellently. The French consulate, an architectural work bearing the mark of time, was chosen as the place where the tense dialogues between Ba Hon’s family and the French government took place. What is special is that this is not a reconstruction, but the only French-style villa that still exists intact in Vietnam, carrying within it priceless historical and architectural values.
From the characters to the film's color, the filmmakers have carefully prepared everything.
The delicate architectural details, from patterns, motifs to interior decoration, were captured realistically by the camera lens, creating footage that is both nostalgic and contributes to the climax of the story. In addition, the old house of Mr. Ca Ba in Can Tho was also chosen as the setting for Mr. Ba Ho Kim's house. This ancient space with a strong Western culture not only adds to the overall picture of the film but also plays an important role in depicting the complex relationship and fierce conflicts between Mr. Ba Ho Kim and Mr. Hoi Dong Linh.
The characters' appearances are imbued with the colors of a historical period.
Obviously, the scenes recreated in “The Prince of Bac Lieu” are not only purely aesthetic, but also a harmonious combination of modern techniques and creative spirit based on respect for history. The crew skillfully applied the most advanced technologies of cinema to vividly and authentically recreate the cultural space of Vietnam in the early 20th century. However, it is worth appreciating that they did not abuse special effects, but always put historical factors first, ensuring the accuracy and authenticity of every detail. Therefore, along with the release of the film, Pink Film Studio organized the art exhibition “The Prince of Bac Lieu” so that the audience could have many multi-dimensional perspectives.
Exhibition recreates the ancient Southern space in the movie "Cong Tu Bac Lieu"
The film crew has introduced to the audience a completely new perspective, an aspect that is often overlooked but plays an extremely important role in the film production process: art design. More than just beautiful images on the screen, art design is also the soul of the film, contributing to creating space, time, and atmosphere for the story.
Artistic slices shown in the film currently showing in theaters will be collected at the exhibition "Once Upon A Time In Indochine"
It includes everything from sets, costumes, props, lighting, colors… and plays a key role in conveying the message and emotions of the film to the audience. This exhibition will open a door, allowing the public to have a more multi-dimensional and in-depth look at the elaborate and creative process to create vivid and realistic scenes in a nearly 2-hour long film.
The exhibition Once Upon A Time In Indochine includes artifacts arranged according to historical research, exploration, and comparison, to help audiences understand the quintessence of art and the story behind each frame, including all stages: ideas, scripts, images, colors, lights, music and sound, character creation, makeup and costumes, sets, props, special effects, film promotion and communication.
The exhibition will give the public a multi-dimensional and deeper perspective on the process of creating the film's setting.
Coming to the exhibition "Once Upon A Time In Indochine", visitors will have the opportunity to see with their own eyes the ingenuity and dedication of the entire crew through each item on display. From the smallest details of the setting, such as a table, a tea set, to the meticulously designed gorgeous costumes, all are recreated vividly and realistically, helping visitors clearly visualize the space and time of the story. The exhibition does not simply display artifacts, but also recreates wonderful moments of a unique anecdote, taking viewers back in time, back to a colorful old Bac Lieu.
