Watching the movie "Red Rain" tears can't stop falling

Among the audience’s tears, many people noticed the veterans in their uniforms, their eyes still filled with tears when the film ended. They were the soldiers who lived and fought at Quang Tri Citadel in 1972.

They are living witnesses: Veteran Nguyen Van Hoi - Head of the Liaison Committee of Battalion K3 Tam Dao, Hero of the People's Armed Forces Han Duy Long and Colonel, Hero of the People's Armed Forces Tran Trong Can.

They were also the ones who shared and guided the young actors in the film to understand and transform into themselves more than 50 years ago when they were invited by the film crew to participate in discussions and consultations during the production process, so that the film would have depth and be close to the reality of the battlefield.

When watching “Red Rain” on the big screen and preparing to be released to the general public, the veterans could not help but be moved. Those films probably made them relive the arduous but heroic days, as if they were meeting their comrades who had fought and died together for the Fatherland. Yet on the day of independence, only a few were able to return.

Unable to hide his emotion when the film ended, Colonel Nguyen Van Hoi - Head of the K3 Tam Dao Battalion Liaison Committee, one of those who returned from the battlefield that year, shared: “The film has brought back to me the 81 days and nights of fighting to protect Quang Tri Citadel. My comrades lying in the Citadel are probably smiling with satisfaction. I never expected that after 50 years, we would be able to watch an epic film about that war. We were the ones involved, but we were also moved to tears, because we remembered our comrades who lay in the Citadel. The Citadel was 500 meters wide on each side, and our Battalion had more than 1,000 people lying there. The Citadel was wide, but my comrades were cramped. Thank you, director Dang Thai Huyen, for breathing life into “Red Rain”, so that we could relive those heroic years once again. Once again, I would like to thank all of you.”

Colonel Nguyen Van Hoi also mentioned the words of his old comrade, Battalion Commander of K3 Tam Dao before crossing the river, which were included in the film: "As long as K3 Tam Dao remains, Quang Tri Citadel remains."

Major General Do Trieu Phong, Director of the People's Public Security Communications Department, Ministry of Public Security , a native of Quang Tri, said: “No words can describe the harshness of Quang Tri Citadel. Thank you to the film crew, thank you to the Central Military Commission for making these films so that future generations like us can feel what the country has gone through. In Quang Tri, when visiting the Citadel, there is a saying 'Here there is not a single grave, but every branch and blade of grass is soaked with the blood of heroes'. I don't know what else to say, I would like to thank the previous generations, and thank the film crew for preserving so many historical moments for our generation and the generations after us, to relive those historical moments".

Director, Lieutenant Colonel, Meritorious Artist Dang Thai Huyen cried a lot when he first read the script in 2012. “Sitting in the office reading the script for the first time, my tears could not stop falling. The detail that made me cry the most when reading the script as well as on set was the scene where the soldiers crossed the river. Under enemy artillery fire, they sacrificed themselves and could only call out 'Mom, sister.'”

For the actors participating in the film, the first impression when they received the script was emotion. Actress Ha Anh, who played the role of Hong, the girl who rowed the boat and took care of wounded soldiers at the infirmary, said: “I received the script and read it in one sitting, and after reading it, I couldn’t hold back my tears. And from that moment, I was determined to try my best to be able to participate in the film.”

Le Hoang Long was also one of the actors who shed tears when reading the script. Le Hoang Long's role is Sen, an experienced special forces soldier, but he could not withstand the shock of seeing his comrades die one by one, witnessing the fierceness and terrible destruction at the Citadel battlefield. Sen is a supporting role, but has depth and psychological weight. Le Hoang Long said that this is his first and extremely impressive film role in his acting career.

“Red Rain” is a film produced by the People's Army Cinema, directed by Meritorious Artist, Lieutenant Colonel Dang Thai Huyen, about the fierce 81-day and night battle at Quang Tri Citadel in 1972.

The film was filmed over exactly 81 days and nights in Quang Tri, experiencing harsh sun and wind, rugged terrain, and elaborately recreated battlefield scenes. Each frame of film is the crystallization of sweat, effort, and sincere emotions of the entire crew.