The story comes alive through the lens of cinema
At a press conference on June 23 at the Argentine Embassy in Hanoi, director Ricardo Preve shared: “We did not come to Vietnam to make a historical film. We came to go back in time, to the places Ignacio went to, to feel the things he felt.”
Ignacio Ezcurra, a young Argentine war correspondent, left his homeland in 1968 to go to Vietnam amid the flames of war, carrying with him the mission of a storyteller. He did not survive to return, but his articles, films and images have become living evidence of the brutality of war and the courage of a journalist.
The multi-episode documentary project titled “A Price We Have to Pay” directed by Ricardo Preve
Ignacio Ezcurra - a young Argentine war correspondent who left his homeland in 1968 to go to Vietnam in the midst of war
The film “A Price We Have to Pay” does not recreate the war, does not recreate the brutality of blood and gunfire, but through a personal lens - a young reporter who has fallen, a troubled soul still lingering somewhere among the ruins of history. Director Ricardo Preve, 68 years old, was captivated by Ignacio's courage - not only as a journalist, but as a person who dared to face the price that the truth must pay.
The Price is the film’s title, taken from Ignacio’s own words in a clip filmed before he disappeared. In it, he says: “This is the price we have to pay for the world to know what’s going on here.” The quote becomes the moral of the entire film project.
In the fast and furious flow of war, there are people who choose to go into the center of the storm, not to become heroes, but to tell the truth. Ignacio Ezcurra - an Argentine war correspondent is one of those people. Born in 1939 in the peaceful town of San Isidro, Argentina, Ignacio could have chosen a safe life as a domestic journalist.
But he decided to join a fierce war half a world away from his homeland - the Vietnam War. It was not only a career journey, but also a journey of courage, idealism and dedication.
Director Ricardo Preve (left)
In 1962, Ignacio officially became a reporter for La Nación - Argentina's most prestigious daily newspaper. 6 years later, when the Vietnam War was entering its fierce phase, Ignacio decided to go to Vietnam. In April 1968, he arrived in Saigon, carrying a camera, a video camera, a notebook and a heart yearning for the truth. No one forced Ignacio. He came here because of a personal urge to witness with his own eyes what was happening, to tell the story of a war not simply with guns and bullets, but with human lives.
In less than a month, Ignacio traveled to the most brutal places, collecting images, documents, and articles from the Mau Than campaign, the sweep in the A Sau valley (Hue), and the residential areas devastated by bombs and bullets. The articles he sent back from the battlefield were not colorful, nor did they contain extreme political ideology. They were simply the truth about the fear of American soldiers, the bravery of the Vietnamese people, and the extraordinary endurance of people in adversity.
Director Ricardo and the Embassy of Argentina in Vietnam
On May 8, 1968, Ignacio disappeared in Saigon. His body was found shortly after, but the question of Ignacio's last hours remains unanswered. He was only 28 when he died. Too young to leave, but too profound to forget. His relics - a camera, a notebook, a few photos - became precious witnesses to a bloody and dark period.
In February-March 2025, the first episode was filmed in Argentina. Filming in Vietnam will begin in the summer, in the Mekong Delta and Ho Chi Minh City - places Ignacio has visited. The film is expected to be completed in 2026 and sent to many international film festivals.
Behind the scenes of Ricardo Preve's filmmaking
Vietnam - Argentina cultural bridge
Not only a film, this project is also a symbol of cultural exchange and friendship. The Argentine Ambassador to Vietnam, Mr. Marcos Antonio Bednarski, affirmed: "This is a film that needs to be told so that everyone knows about it. It contributes to bringing the two countries closer together."
In fact, the cultural relationship between Vietnam and Argentina is not new. In 2019, on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of Ignacio’s death, a special exhibition titled “Stories from the Camera” was held at the War Remnants Museum, in collaboration with the Argentine Embassy.
Director Ricardo Preve interacts with the press at a press conference on June 23 at the Argentine Embassy in Hanoi.
The exhibition features photos taken by Ignacio himself during the war, along with photos taken by his granddaughter Luisa Duggan in peacetime Vietnam. Both sets of photos were taken with the same camera. Half a century apart, two generations - one in war, one in peace - tell the story of Vietnam from sincere and touching perspectives.
Ignacio Ezcurra may have died young, but his commitment transcends time. His legacy – articles, films, and photographs – is not only a valuable record of the Vietnam War, but also a professional manifesto for war correspondents. In an age where news can be distorted, in a world where it is easy to turn away from the truth for safety or profit, Ignacio chose the difficult path – the path of honesty, commitment, and courage.
The film “The Price We Pay” is expected to be completed in the summer of 2026.
