The documentary Cay Linden mua xanh la (Linden Tree in Leafing Season) tells the history of the establishment of the Vietnamese Embassy chancery in France at No 62 Boileau Street, District 16, Paris. After its premiere on Vietnam Television, the documentary was shown to the Vietnamese community in France.

It takes viewers back to the 1970s, when Vietnamese diplomats were backed by overseas Vietnamese and French people to achieve peace in Vietnam.

Screenwriter Nguyen My Linh spoke with the Vietnam News Agency's correspondent in France about the documentary - a meaningful project to celebrate 50 years of diplomatic relations and also 10 years of strategic partnership between Vietnam and France.

Screenwriter Nguyen My Linh shares her emotions and stories during the filmmaking process at the Vietnamese Embassy in France. Photo: VNA

Could you tell us why you chose this historical topic?

I have had the opportunity to interact with overseas Vietnamese in France for ten years, making TV reports on their patriotism, then contributing to the First Spring program on the 40th anniversary of Reunification Day, and afterwards to the TV show commemorating the 70th anniversary of National Resistance.

Witnessing their love for the motherland, even though they were thousands of miles away, I always said to myself that I had to make a documentary on the subject.  

Then in 2023, on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the Vietnamese Embassy chancery in France, Ambassador Dinh Toan Thang asked me to make a documentary about it and I accepted.

I think the house is not only a testimony of patriotism, but also a testament to the maturity of Vietnamese diplomacy in France, to the diplomatic relations between France and Vietnam, and will be very important. It makes sense to tell these stories through a documentary.

Maybe this is my destiny. Loving a community, being interested in a topic, and then being able to make a documentary about something related to it, it's such a fateful relationship, isn’t it?

The film not only tells the story of the embassy chancery but also the story of 50 years of diplomatic relations between Vietnam and France. How do you do that?

I think these are two inseparable parts. The 50th milestone of the Vietnam-France diplomatic relationship is also the 50-year milestone of the house, from its beginnings as a design on paper until today.

When we talk about Vietnamese diplomacy in France, we cannot help but talk about the house, and  vice versa. It is two sides of an issue, the completion of a story.

It must be said that Vietnamese diplomacy in France today has many achievements because  thanks to a patriotic Vietnamese community that has always had the country in mind, since the early 20th century, through the years of war then peace.

They have always stood by Vietnamese diplomats throughout history. Moreover, the solidarity of the Vietnamese community also shows that our people diplomacy is well developed.

The house was built thanks to the Vietnamese community in France, and it is also a testimony of  all the growth and relationships cultivated between overseas Vietnamese and the Fatherland, between Vietnam and France.

Screenwriter Nguyen My Linh, correspondent of Vietnam Television in France. Photo: VNA

The film used many valuable historical documents and interviewed  many witnesses. How were you able to  research and compile such a large amount of materials and witnesses in such a short time?

Perhaps being a reporter helps me have a good memory, and the habit of cataloging documents also helps me a lot. I categorize almost everything I have filmed and   any interesting details I keep in my head.

In the past, when I filmed Phuc Ky - an engineer who helped build the Embassy building at 62 Boileau Street, I told myself that I would come back one day to do a story about him. But he passed away before I could.

Fortunately, even though it has been almost ten years, there is still footage of him on the hard drive.

I am fortunate to receive support, from the ordinary people to the Vice President of the French Senate, when I express my desire to make the movie.

Maybe they do it out of their love for Vietnam, and I'm a part of Vietnam so I'm loved.

During the filmmaking process, from the idea to its broadcast,  what stories or characters left the deepest impression on you?

I think this film left me with deep emotions rather than impressions. The emotion I have for the film is always complete from the beginning to the end.

And in the last days of editing photos, looking at the images over and over again, I felt so wistful!

I love my characters. I felt loved from the moment I sat down to write the script, then went to shoot, then sat down to edit. Every time my heart overflows with affection, I feel lucky to know characters and witness their goodness.

I remember when I interviewed Madam Nguyen Thi Binh, former Vice President of the country, she was old and weak, but she still tried very hard to act in every shot.  If one of her sound bites failed, she would show us some kind of guilt. She kept comforting me by saying: " I'm tired so that's all I can say."

The filming took place at the home of Helène Luc, Honorary French Senator, a friend who has always been attached to Vietnam for more than 70 years. Photo: VNA

Then there's Helène Luc, the 91-year-old honorary French senator, who made sure we had everything we needed when we arrived at her house to film, including tea and cake, out of concern that we might be too busy to eat while we worked.  

What are your future plans to get the documentary out to a wider audience?

Together with our film crew at Vietnam Television, we will make a French version.

I hope to share the stories of Vietnamese living in France for generations of overseas Vietnamese living in France today, as well as French-speaking people.
Thank you for your time.

Ngo Minh

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