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On April 21, 2025, the short film "50 FLASHES" was officially released on the online channels (Facebook and YouTube) of Ho Chi Minh City Tourism. This is a special promotional film for Ho Chi Minh City tourism, presented to the public by the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Tourism to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the liberation of Southern Vietnam and the reunification of the country.
For the first time, a city in Vietnam is pioneering a cinematic tourism promotional film, combining elements of adventure, suspense, mystery, and fantasy, offering a completely new perspective and a journey to awaken the deeper layers of culture, architecture, cuisine, landscapes, and people of Ho Chi Minh City through the lens of cinema.
The appeal of the 50 FLASHES script lies in its bold and creative storytelling. The film revolves around a foreign tourist exploring Ho Chi Minh City. He enters an antique shop and is given an old camera that once belonged to a wartime reporter. He accidentally touches the camera's shutter button, and is swept into a fantastical journey through space and time, passing through many iconic landmarks of the city. On this extraordinary journey, the protagonist not only admires the beautiful scenery but also directly experiences cultural facets, historical landmarks, and the distinctive rhythm of life in Ho Chi Minh City – from the past to the present, from ancient structures to contemporary spaces.
A unique journey through time and space, leading viewers through different dimensions of space and time, past the distinctive cultural, historical, and architectural symbols of Ho Chi Minh City. The "outsider's" perspective makes seemingly familiar things feel new, vibrant, and emotionally rich. Combining elements of fantasy, adventure, and emotional depth, each destination is not just a beautiful sight, but a living part of the city's soul – preserving the story, identity, and spirit of Ho Chi Minh City through each cinematic frame.
The journey from idea to reality spanned over 60 days – a grueling one. The crew and actors had to travel constantly for filming and act alongside animals. With dozens of complex locations, moving equipment was extremely difficult, and filming was rushed to cope with unpredictable weather conditions. The film 50 FLASHES encapsulates the dedication and hard work of a crew of hundreds of people.
50 FLASHES not only celebrates familiar landmarks that have shaped Ho Chi Minh City for half a century, but also opens up new perspectives and unique stories never before told. The film takes viewers on an adventure through 50 iconic tourist attractions, from famous architectural works to small alleyways steeped in the breath of time. More than just a city to visit, Ho Chi Minh City is a city to explore, to feel, to find something that resonates with the soul of each traveler. This is the message the film conveys – that no matter who you are or where you come from, you can find your own story, your own emotion, your own heartbeat, harmonizing with the vibrant energy of this city.
The film crew chose to film at iconic tourist destinations in the city such as the Cu Chi Tunnels historical site, the Can Gio Mangrove Forest, the Ho Chi Minh City Post Office, the Ho Chi Minh City Museum of Fine Arts – structures that preserve the city's historical depth, or at Ben Thanh Market, Bui Vien Street… reflecting the modern rhythm and vitality of a city rich in cultural colors; along with the application of modern techniques and technology to recreate the setting of Nha Rong Wharf on the day President Ho Chi Minh left to find a way to save the country in a realistic way, touching the emotions and hearts of the audience.
To create 50 FLASHES, for the first time, talents from the fields of film and art joined forces on a project to promote tourism in Ho Chi Minh City. A team that brought together ideas, scripts, and visuals – each with their own strengths, but sharing a common mission to tell the story of Ho Chi Minh City in the most vivid and authentic way possible.
Screenwriter & Producer Le Hai Yen, the person behind the success of the Ho Chi Minh City River Festival in 2023 and 2024, has poured her heart and soul into a special tourism film project. For her, this is not simply a promotional film, but also an emotional invitation, allowing viewers not only to see Ho Chi Minh City but also to experience it in a way never before seen.
Producer Le Hai Yen shared her thoughts on the concept film for "50 FLASHES": "50 FLASHES is not just a film, but a journey – where each frame tells a story, each scene captures a part of the city's soul. There are stories being brought to the screen for the first time, places and events previously only mentioned in books and newspapers. In this film, viewers will see a multifaceted and colorful Ho Chi Minh City, with countless interesting things to be proud of. For international tourists, I believe they will want to come and discover for themselves the special experiences that our main character has gone through, to better feel the constant movement of this city."
With its rare blend of cinema, music, art, and technology, the film is expected to ignite a sense of pride in every citizen of the city, while also inspiring domestic and international tourists to embark on a journey to discover a new, vibrant, and captivating Ho Chi Minh City.
