# Glorious Ashes

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. 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.
Glorious Ashes surpassed 27 other projects to win the top prize of $15,000 at the Asian Project Market, a division of the Busan International Film Festival, in 2017. The film also won the Inaugural Southeast Asia Co-Production Grant by the Singapore Film Commission in November 2019. It was then premiered at the 35th Tokyo International Film Festival and became the first Vietnamese film to compete for the festival's top prize, the Tokyo Grand Prix, in October 2022. The film won the Montgolfière d'or at the 2022 Three Continents Festival, won four awards at the 2023 Kite Awards and five awards at the 23rd Vietnam Film Festival, including the Golden Lotus Prize. In Vietnam, Glorious Ashes opened in theaters nationwide on December 2, 2022. The film was chosen as the Vietnamese entry for Best International Feature Film at the 96th Academy Awards.

## Plot

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.
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."
Wendy Ide of Screen Daily, describing it as "a thoughtful piece which is elevated by strong performances."

### Accolades

| Award | Date of ceremony | Category | Recipient(s) | Result |
| Tokyo International Film Festival | November 2, 2022 | Tokyo Grand Prix | Glorious Ashes | Nominated |
| Three Continents Festival | November 27, 2022 | Montgolfière d'or | Glorious Ashes | Won |
| Da Nang Asian Film Festival | May 13, 2023 | Best Film - Asian Film Competition | Glorious Ashes | Nominated |
| Da Nang Asian Film Festival | May 13, 2023 | Best Director - Asian Film Competition | Bùi Thạc Chuyên | Nominated |
| Da Nang Asian Film Festival | May 13, 2023 | Best Actress - Asian Film Competition | Juliet Bảo Ngọc Doling | Won |
| Kite Awards | September 9, 2023 | Feature Film | Glorious Ashes | Golden Kite |
| Kite Awards | September 9, 2023 | Best Director - Feature Film | Bùi Thạc Chuyên | Won |
| Kite Awards | September 9, 2023 | Best Leading Actress - Feature Film | Phương Anh Đào | Nominated |
| Kite Awards | September 9, 2023 | Best Supporting Actress - Feature Film | Ngô Phạm Hạnh Thuý | Won |
| Kite Awards | September 9, 2023 | Best Cinematography - Feature Film | Nguyễn K'Linh | Won |
| Vietnam Film Festival | November 25, 2023 | Lotus Prize - Feature Film | Glorious Ashes | Golden Lotus |
| Vietnam Film Festival | November 25, 2023 | Best Actress | Juliet Bảo Ngọc Doling | Nominated |
| Vietnam Film Festival | November 25, 2023 | Best Supporting Actor | Lê Công Hoàng | Won |
| Vietnam Film Festival | November 25, 2023 | Best Supporting Actress | Ngô Phạm Hạnh Thuý | Nominated |
| Vietnam Film Festival | November 25, 2023 | Best Director - Feature Film | Bùi Thạc Chuyên | Won |
| Vietnam Film Festival | November 25, 2023 | Best Screenplay - Feature Film | Bùi Thạc Chuyên | Nominated |
| Vietnam Film Festival | November 25, 2023 | Best Cinematography - Feature Film | Nguyễn K'Linh | Won |
| Vietnam Film Festival | November 25, 2023 | Best Original Score - Feature Film | Tôn Thất An | Won |
| Vietnam Film Festival | November 25, 2023 | Best Sound Design - Feature Film | Claire Anne Largeron | Nominated |
| Face of The Year Awards | January 10, 2024 | Best Film | Glorious Ashes | Nominated |
| Face of The Year Awards | January 10, 2024 | Best Director - Film | Bùi Thạc Chuyên | Nominated |
| Face of The Year Awards | January 10, 2024 | Best Supporting Actress - Film | Ngô Phạm Hạnh Thuý | Won |
| Face of The Year Awards | January 10, 2024 | Best Popular Actress - Film | Phương Anh Đào | Nominated |
| Face of The Year Awards | January 10, 2024 | Most Promising Actor/Actress - Film | Lê Công Hoàng | Nominated |
| WeChoice Awards | January 27, 2024 | Film of the Year | Glorious Ashes | Nominated |

## Gallery

* Cast & crew of Glorious Ashes at the 2022 Tokyo International Film Festival
* Director Bùi Thạc Chuyên
* Lê Công Hoàng
* Juliet Bảo Ngọc Doling
* Phương Anh Đào
* Ngô Quang Tuấn
* Tú Oanh