Born in 1926, People's Artist Trinh Thinh belonged to the first class of actors of Vietnamese revolutionary cinema.
He began his career with "Chung mot dong song" - the first feature film to lay the foundation for a young film industry.
From his initial small roles, he gradually affirmed his ability through films such as "Vo chong A Phu", "Truyen vo chong anh Luc"... Although not a box office star, he is always an important link to help the story become complete and emotional.
The special point in Trinh Thinh's acting lies in his restraint. He does not show off technique but chooses to transform naturally, close to life.
The characters he plays are often farmers, grassroots officials or ordinary men, but each role has its own personality.
In him, acting is not aimed at making an immediate impression but at calming down, so that after each film scene, the audience recognizes the truthfulness and psychological depth. That is what helps his roles have lasting vitality over time.
The Doi Moi period marked the peak of his career with two typical works such as the films "Silent Town" and "Bom".
In "Quiet Town", he plays the role of a fame-seeking, ridiculous district vice chairman - a satirical image rich in topicality. The nonchalant, gentle but sharp acting style makes the character both humorous and evokes reflections on familiar habits in life.
On the contrary, the movie "Thang Bom" brings a completely different image: a gentle and simple farmer. This role helped him win the Best Actor award at the 8th Vietnam Film Festival, affirming his diverse transformation ability.
Sharing about People's Artist Trinh Thinh, director - Meritorious Artist Le Duc Tien, who made the two films mentioned above, recalled: "People's Artist Trinh Thinh is a great talent, not inferior to famous world artists. He can play all kinds of roles, from serious to comedic roles.
One of the reasons he always receives respect is his professional working attitude, respecting the directors and actors working with him, that is a great personality in the film industry".
Meanwhile, People's Artist Bui Bai Binh - who once collaborated with him - still remembers the "like not acting" acting style: light, nonchalant but profound. "In him, comedy is not just for laughing, but a way to go straight into the character's psychology," he shared.
In later works such as "The Curse of the River" or "Who will be the first visitor to the house this Tet", Trinh Thinh continued to show his strength with roles rich in fate, leaving a deep aftertaste before leaving the screen for health reasons.
Although he does not have many main roles, he is still considered the person who "holds the rhythm" for the work, bringing authenticity, helping the characters become closer and more vivid.
In 2014, his passing left regret in the hearts of the public. But the legacy that NSND Trinh Thinh left behind is not in the number of roles, but in the simple, truthful characters - people who continue to live in the memories of Vietnamese audiences.
Quiet Town" and "Bom" are currently selected to be screened in the program "The Face of Vietnamese Cinema 40 Years of Doi Moi Period" at the 4th Da Nang Asian Film Festival - DANAFF IV. The return of the two films not only evokes a period of transformation in Vietnamese cinema, but also shows the sustainable value of the roles that NSND Trinh Thinh has left behind.
