People's Artist Bui Bai Binh started his career with a comedy role in the movie "Kén rể" (1975) right after graduating from course 2 of the Vietnam Cinema School.
Immediately after that, People's Artist Bui Bai Binh was trusted by Meritorious Artist Le Duc Tien to play the role of a doctor in "Quiet Town".
The film revolves around a traffic accident of a Minister in a peaceful mountain town.
Because no one knows the faces of senior leaders, everyone assumes that whoever is the biggest and fatest is the Minister.
This harmful confusion becomes the decisive knot of the whole film, creating a deep satirical laugh about formalism and bureaucracy.
The behind-the-scenes of filming in Lap Thach in the late 1980s was a series of difficult days. The countryside did not have electricity, the film crew had to live under the light from generators.
At exactly 8 pm, the engine went out, the whole crew was immersed in darkness or flickering oil lamp lights. Without hotels, the director and actors had to stay in people's houses.
After many years, People's Artist Bui Bai Binh still remembers and recounts: "At that time, we had a strange enthusiasm and passion. People made films not according to constrained plans, not dependent on food and clothing. All for one purpose: to make a good and quality film".
The film gathers a cast of veteran artists such as People's Artist Trinh Thinh, Meritorious Artist Lan Bich... For Bui Bai Binh, People's Artist Trinh Thinh is a great example, a teacher whom he always respects.
The days of working together at the Vietnam Feature Film Studio (the predecessor of the Vietnam Feature Film Studio) have helped NSND Bui Bai Binh learn many valuable lessons from NSND Trinh Thinh and colleagues to improve his skills.
However, memories of the film also carry sadness. People's Artist Bui Bai Binh sadly recounted about the beautiful, gentle actress playing the young wife - a famous star at that time. Later, when they met again in Saigon, she fell seriously ill and passed away not long after. The passing of her colleague is still a haunting memory every time he mentions the movie "Silent Town".
People's Artist Bui Bai Binh affirmed: "Making people cry is difficult, making people laugh meaningfully is even more difficult. In the midst of hard life, laughter is something that is never allowed to be lacking.
He believes that a good film will awaken the passion and desire in the hearts of audiences in any era.
Quiet Town" is one of the carefully selected films 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).
