In the professional circles, People's Artist Nguyen Khac Loi is often called by a simple title - teacher. As one of the first lecturers of Hanoi University of Theater and Cinema, he contributed to building a systematic film training foundation in the years of many shortcomings.
From his class, many directors have grown up and created their own mark such as directors Nguyen Quang Quyet, Dang Thai Huyen, Dao Thanh Hung, Trinh Le Phong, Pham Nhue Giang, Nguyen Thanh Van, Luu Trong Ninh, Do Thanh Hai... Each person has a style, but they all carry the foundation of thinking that he sowed from the beginning.
The special thing is that he does not impose techniques or stereotypes. For him, cinema cannot teach how to "do well", but can only open up creative freedom. Thanks to that, he does not create "copies", but contributes to forming distinct cinematic personalities.
His journey began from the days of training in the Soviet Union, having participated in the film crew of director Roman Karmen, NSND Nguyen Khac Loi early approached realistic cinematic thinking, valuing truth and depth of life.
Returning to the country in difficult filmmaking conditions, he still persistently pursued the profession with works such as "The Fight Still Continues", "The Land Not Lonely", "Two Mothers", "Nguyen Ai Quoc in Hong Kong",...
Among them, the movie "Retired General" (adapted from Nguyen Huy Thiep's story) is the most prominent mark. The film depicts the tragedy of a general returning to ordinary life, reflecting the upheavals of values during the transition to a market economy.
The work is not only successful at the 9th Vietnam Film Festival with many awards, but is also seen as a spiritual cut of the Doi Moi era society.
His style is not leaning towards dramatic structure, but close to the rhythm of everyday life.
The film is not noisy but has weight, does not show off but leaves long-lasting aftertaste.
With the director, Meritorious Artist Dang Thai Huyen - the person behind the success of the movie "Red Rain", People's Artist Nguyen Khac Loi is not only a vocational teacher but also a spiritual companion.
Meetings without reason, simple shares about life have become the way he leads his students to success on the path of filmmaking.
He once emphasized that no matter how fictional it is, the film must still stand on the foundation of truth. That view has clearly influenced Dang Thai Huyen's way of making films, when she chose to delve into the psychology and fate of the characters instead of chasing after the surface of the story.
In 2024, People's Artist Nguyen Khac Loi closed his life journey, leaving a large void in the hearts of colleagues and students. He left quietly like his own way of life, but the influence is still present.
His legacy is not only films, but a generation of directors who are continuing to create, continuing to tell stories in their own way. In today's Vietnamese cinema flow, the spirit he left behind is still alive - in the way he sees life, in the way he tells stories, and in the choice to go to the end of truth.
Retired General" by director - People's Artist Nguyen Khac Loi will 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 2026). The program gathers 17 typical works of Vietnamese cinema, spanning from the late 1980s to the 2000s, helping audiences have the opportunity to comprehensively look back at the development progress of Vietnamese cinema in the 40-year Doi Moi journey of the country.
