A sketch of the Thang Long Citadel’s ramparts

Agroup of artists are hustling to complete a 3D film about Hanoi in time for the capital’s 1,000th birthday celebration.

A new 3D documentary aims to capture that essence by tracing the history of the citadel through its most historic years, from the eleventh to eighteenth century, when it served as capital of the nation.

The capital city of Thang Long (Flying Dragon) has been called Hanoi since the 18th century, but the documentarians argue that the city’s 1,000 year history is far-reaching and key to understanding Vietnamese civilization.

And essential to understanding the city as a whole is understanding the citadel complex around which it was built. It’s that understanding that the 3D film, Thang Long - Thanh pho rong bay (Thang Long – City of the Flying Dragon), aims to provide.

As the citadel site in the center of Hanoi is currently being excavated, several archaeologists have signed on to help with the film, including Phan Huy Le, Le Van Lan, Vu Tuan Sau and Nguyen Duc Binh.

Historians Duong Trung Quoc and Trinh Quang Vu are also involved.

Professor Phan Huy Le said he hoped the making of the film could begin to build the momentum needed to rebuild the citadel, a far larger and more expensive project.

The filmmakers and their group of experts have been conducting field work, surveys and archeological digs since 2006. They’ve also been researching written histories, collecting documents and have produced a short demo to get people interested in the project.

Thu Thuy, a journalist and the project’s screenwriter, said: “As the film must be authentic – scientifically, historically and aesthetically – I’ve got to rely on the team of experts.”

Thuy has also been making research trips to the central city of Hue city – the country’s imperial capital through the 19th century – to study royal culture. She’s participated in several excavations at the citadel site in Hanoi as well, familiarizing herself with the artifacts, cultural relics and historical events she means to portray in the 3D film.

Another dimension

To learn about producing 3D films, which are not popular in Vietnam, production manager Nguyen Long Hung went the US to study with experts at the Discovery Chanel and Walt Disney Studios.

Nguyen Anh Tuan, the project’s artistic director, said 3D technology “allows us to recreate the events, artifacts and relics in the most authentic and vivid way.

“In the future, the younger generations will learn history not only through books but through films such as ours,” he said.

“It seems films like this the media by which future historians will understand the Thang Long Citadel.”

The film focuses on the Ly, Tran and Le dynasties, using artifacts to explain the connections between architecture, history and culture as expounded upon by history professors and archaeologists interviewed for the film.

The film includes five parts. The first explains how the complex was built and describes how each dynasty rose to prominence, prosperity and ultimately, decadence.

The second and third parts focus on efforts to restore and rebuild the palace throughout the centuries.

The fourth section discusses how historical changes affected the Thang Long Citadel. The last part is about modern Hanoi.

Not easy

Some worry that the 45 minute films simply won’t be long enough to cover the citadel’s one-thousand-year history and culture.

Tuan said that the scarcity of material and information is also a problem.

Thuy said much of the history she needs is unavailable and many artifacts have been lost or damaged.

Moreover, the project is expected to cost VND6.2 billion (US$358,000), but the main investor, Vietnam Graphics Co. Ltd., has only been able to provide some VND900 million ($52,000) so far.

The film is supposed to be broadcast on Vietnam Television in mid-2010 in line with a year-long nationwide celebration of the capital’s founding 1,000 years ago.

Reported by Hoang Phuong