Wednesday, 17 March
6:30 p.m. – Korean Studies Auditorium
Việt Nam, 1976 (156min)
Vietnamese with English subtitles
Dir: Bạch Diệp
Cast: Trà Giang, Như Quỳnh, Trần Phương
Adapted from the novel Storm at the Seaside by Chu Van, this anti-Catholic melodrama set in North Viet Nam in the 1950’s presents a sweeping view of the early days of the post-French era. Woven into the story is the relationship between two sisters, Nhan and Ai, both of whom have been abandoned by their husbands. Nhân (Trà Giang) lives in fear of breaking her bonds with the Church, while Ái (Như Quỳnh) struggles with the Church’s moral code and develops a relationship with another man. But Holy Day drives deeper than mere melodrama. Screenwriter and director Bạch Diệp takes us inside the massive social and political changes sweeping the north. We are witnesses to the infighting, even among families, as the Communist party begins to organize at the village level. Issues related to food production, distribution, and land management cause turmoil enflamed by local gossip and backstabbing that is barely tempered by the steady village cooperative chairman, Tiệp (Trần Phương). Throughout, political reactionaries working for the Church attempt to undermine Catholic support for the government in North Viet Nam, further dividing the population. Interspersed between these backstories are examples of epic filmmaking (considering the period in which the film was made). You’ll marvel at the scene in which the entire village works to fill in reclaimed land before the sea tide washes away their labor.
This black & white classic has been translated by the Center for Southeast Asian Studies and is being screened here for the first time with English subtitles.
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April 13th, 2010 at 10:05 pm
This was piece was submitted by one of our viewers in regards to the recently screened film from Viet Nam, Ngày Lễ Thánh (Holy Day). It has been edited to aid in formatting.
Following the film, my husband asked an important question which put the film into perspective….
"Who do you think produced the film?"
Answer: North Vietnam – Communist.
This led to other questions and comments as we discussed the film. I would like to share those with your film review readers.
Who are the enemies of the North Vietnamese in the film and who are the people they wish to reach and communicate their ideals? –
Answer: They want the people of North Vietnam to stay and to buy into the cooperative system. The people are supposedly happy people with problems that needed to be solved by a wise and righteous Committee member sent by the government to promote law and order and end corruption.
So the leader is a fine, young, idealistic and charismatic person who becomes the love object of the very religious Catholic sister torn between her beliefs and her human desires. The monkey wrench thrown in is the woman’s absentee husband who has gone South; he is materialistic, demanding and of course an unpleasant character who tries to kill her upon his return.
Also the love between the other sister and Voung, a non-Catholic, is a clash between civil weddings and religiously conducted weddings. In Singapore (we were married in 1970s in a Catholic Church) the marriage certificate is signed by the priest who is recognized by the Registry of Marriages as a legal representative of the country validating the marriage. Obviously not so in Communist North Vietnam, where the government official claims to be the only legal entity for legitimating marriages.
Who are the other enemies of the Committee members?
Answer: Slyly hinted at in the film is the priest whose ring is kissed while giving privileged private audience to attractive fervent followers. The young nun in the film (incidentally they do not wear habits which show their womanly figures nor do they have long hair under their veils as they do in the film) suggests that she too has been deceived.
Then there are others who are supposedly villains (who also happen to be Catholics) who want to get rid of the Committee members without justification.
The President of the South was a man named Diem supported by the U.S., but eventually proved to be autocratic. He was reportedly Roman Catholic. The civil war between north and south was personified by this man.
Also, the Catholic Church in Vietnam was a large landowner and the subtle suggestion of corruption was hinted at by the collection of monies not for the "cooperatives but for the Church" suggesting opulence and waste which is why the blame for not harvesting rice was placed on the Father (priest). In reality, Catholic theology did not forbid harvesting that clashed with Church abstinence from work. It is a poor understanding of church teaching. Christ Himself spoke of the hypocrisy of the Pharisees who criticized Him for healing the sick on the Sabbath due to Jewish law regarding work on the Sabbath Day.
Why is this "anti Catholicism so subtle in the movie?
Answer : Because from the celebration of one festival you can see how well organized the large groups of people are and how fervent and disciplined. They are the antitheses of Communism which promotes a Godless society organized and ultimately responsible to THE PARTY. God versus non God. They needed to win the hearts and minds and emotions of these people not by force, but by subtle suggestion.
If you notice, the final scene shows the woman still alive, a suggestion that she is planning to meet her heart throb – the Committee member who had throughout the movie not really shown a love interest towards her. Is she the one who has the hero worship?
Summary:
Yes, in a way you are right to call this an anti-Catholic film, but you have to also state that it comes from a Communist production with their own goals. It has been said time and again the greatest enemy of Communism is the Catholic faith.
I really would like the opportunity to put my comments into your viewer's website because the media is a strong means of educating and mis-educating people and thus causing more misplaced hatred.
Lastly, you are doing a great job. We are not against viewpoints different from ours but against bigotry and uninformed perspectives.