Vietnam chose the war epic “Red Rain” (mưa deer) as its submission to the best international feature film category at the 98th Academy Awards.
Directed by Thái Huyền and co-authored with novelist Chu Lai, the photograph dramatically portrays the 81-day defense of one of the most decisive battles of the Vietnam War in 1972, Quảng Trịitadel. The story follows a unit of North Vietnamese soldiers as they endure merciless fire and increased losses while confronting their own fears and divisions.
Since its release earlier this year, “Red Rain” has been a box office gross in Vietnam. The film has won over VND 714 billion ($28 million) and sells more than 8.1 million tickets, making it the greatest Vietnamese film of all time.
The large-scale production featured a 50-hectare battlefield set and included months of preparation in multiple states. A multi-camera system was used to capture vast battle scenes, but extensive practical effects and CGI were deployed to replicate the scale of the competition.
“Red Rain” arrives at Oscar in its latest attempt to break through Vietnam’s international functional category. The country has regularly submitted entries since 1993, but none has secured nominations to date. Recent submissions include Father and Son (2017), Dreamy Eyes (2020), and Shining Ash (2023). The country’s first obedience, Trần Anhhùng’s “Green Papaya Scent”, won the nomination in 1993.
The Oscar International feature summary will be announced on December 16th, with the last five candidates announced on January 22nd.
