Once a familiar face with the image of a "Western officer", Dao Ba Son returned to participate in the program "The Face of Vietnamese Cinema 40 Years of Doi Moi Period".
The two films "Hay tha thu cho em" (1992) and "Luoi troi" (2003) not only evoke memories but also clearly depict the transformation of society and the artist himself.
The 4th Da Nang Asian Film Festival (DANAFF IV) is an opportunity for young audiences to meet the "Westerner" of Vietnamese cinema.
In the movie "Please Forgive Me", he plays a film director full of inner turmoil amidst the context of Hanoi students in the early 90s. The role is rich in depth, reflecting the young generation standing between the desire for freedom and the real constraints of the early Doi Moi period.
Ten years later, in the movie "Sky Net", Dao Ba Son transforms into director Tu Le - a calm, experienced man but facing fierce conflicts between interests and moral values when the market economy begins to dominate life.
If the first film is a story about youth and the aspiration to start, then Sky Net is a slice of people in the complex "network" of modern society.
Through the two works, audiences clearly see his acting journey: from inner roles close to Vietnamese life, he gradually escaped the heavy shadow of the "Westerner" image that he had been attached to for many years.
His tall appearance and high nose bridge once made him a default choice for the roles of US and French officers in war films. That was both an advantage that helped him leave a strong impression and a limit that made him feel framed many times.
Few people know that behind those "Westerner" roles is no small amount of pressure. Transforming into characters who are culturally and psychologically unfamiliar once made him tired. Therefore, the everyday roles in the two films above become particularly meaningful to him.
Not only an actor, Dao Ba Son is also a talented director, quietly pursuing humane stories. After the glamour of the screen, he chose to stand behind the camera with a calm soul, always seeking sustainable values in art.
Currently, People's Artist Dao Ba Son lives in seclusion, rarely appearing in public. He only occasionally participates in teaching and supporting young film projects. But for many audiences, he is forever a "screen romantic" - an artist who is attached to the profession persistently, wholeheartedly and passionately.
The selection of his two films to be screened at DANAFF IV is not only an honor for individuals but also an opportunity to look back at a generation of artists who have contributed to shaping the image of Vietnamese cinema.
The films are carefully selected to contribute to looking back at the face of Vietnamese cinema in 40 years of Doi Moi, within the framework of the program "The Face of Vietnamese Cinema 40 Years of Doi Moi" of the Organizing Committee of the 4th Da Nang Asian Film Festival (DANAFF IV).
