Glorious Ashes (original title: Tro tàn rực rỡ) is a 2022 Vietnamese-language drama film directed and written by Bùi Thạc Chuyên. It is an adaptation of two short stories, Glorious Ashes (Tro tàn rực rỡ) and Drifting Firewood (Củi mục trôi về), taken from the Đảo (Island) short story collection by Vietnamese writer Nguyễn Ngọc Tư.[2] The film has an ensemble cast including Lê Công Hoàng, Juliet Bảo Ngọc Doling, Phương Anh Đào, Ngô Quang Tuấn, Ngô Phạm Hạnh Thuý, Thạch Kim Long, Nguyễn Thị Ngọc Hiệp and Mai Thế Hiệp. Set in Thơm Rơm village of Cà Mau, the story revolves around three women, their journey of love and their efforts to keep their men. The imagery of fire and ashes appears throughout as a metaphor for the passion and longing of these women.[3]
Set in the poor Mekong Delta coastal village of Thơm Rơm, the film follows the lives of three women, whose love lives are unusual and unique to their nature. The film is narrated from Hau's perspective, as she experiences life with a husband who only has eyes for another woman, and develops her growing friendship with her rival.
Cast
Lê Công Hoàng as Duong
Juliet Bảo Ngọc Doling as Hau
Phương Anh Đào as Nhan
Ngô Quang Tuấn as Tam
Ngô Phạm Hạnh Thuý as Loan
Nguyễn Thị Ngọc Hiệp as Duong's mother
Mai Thế Hiệp as Monk
Nguyễn Văn Thạch and Hoàng Thị Thuý appear as neighbors; Phạm Thị Hoa Lan appears as charcoal factory boss; Lê Ánh Hồng appears as Loan's aunty; Huỳnh Ngọc Tâm appears as old man in charcoal; Trương Vũ Phước appears as Hau's father; Phạm Văn Cường, Lý Văn Tiễn and Nguyễn Chí Hữu appear as workers in charcoal factory; Lê Phương Anh Dũng appears as boat captain; Kha Ngọc Hồng Hạnh appears as Nhan's daughter; Trần Minh Chi Nhân appears as singing man on boat; Uyên Nhi appears as Hau's daughter.
Themes
Love is a topic that never gets old, especially when a woman loves. I am fascinated by the romanticism of Nguyễn Ngọc Tư's story. The love that women have for their men represents a special Asian cultural feature. It seems peaceful and quiet, but also incredibly powerful.
– Director Bùi Thạc Chuyên on Glorious Ashes.
Set in the poor Mekong Delta, the film portrays the love and pain of three women with their men. The imagery of fire and ashes appears throughout as a metaphor for the passion and longing to be "seen" of these women. Bùi Thạc Chuyên said he was fascinated by the power of love of women in the original story by Nguyễn Ngọc Tư.
Production
The film is produced by An Nam Productions and distributed by CGV. It began principal photography in 2021.
Release
Glorious Ashes was selected to compete for the Tokyo Grand Prix at the 35th Tokyo International Film Festival to be held from 24 October to 2 November 2022. It screened for the first time in Tokyo and subsequently had its French premiere at the Three Continents Festival in November 2022.
On 10 November 2022, Glorious Ashes had its premiere in Ho Chi Minh City before being released in Vietnam theatrically on 2 December.
Reception
Critical response
Jordan Mintzer of The Hollywood Reporter, wrote "Premiering in competition at Tokyo, the film provides an intriguing look at a part of the world where the old ways, whether in farming, fishing or wives being completely subjected to their husbands’ every last whim, still dominate daily life. But the two-hour drama never quite rises above its earnest and weighty message, which makes it more of a thoughtful pedagogical item than a movie with serious market potential."[10]
Wendy Ide of Screen Daily, describing it as "a thoughtful piece which is elevated by strong performances."[11]
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