"The Town within Reach" "Dedicated to Lạng Sơn town." "The film crew would like to thank the army and people in Lạng Sơn province," "Officers of corps 14, division 337, for the enthusiastic help." "Vũ, do you believe in the tale of Lady Tô Thị (the waiting statue)?" "Yes, I do." "Such frustrating things just happen in life." "That's not just a frustrating thing." "That's a treachery!" "A betrayal!" "Comrade, let me see your ticket." "Here you are." "Your attention, please." "Although the enemy retreated to the other side of the border, we have to beware of their shelling." "When there is an alarm, please stay calm and follow the guidance of staff on board." "Move your bag a little please." "My mom told me a variation of the tale of Lady Tô Thị, unlike how it is written in books." "Let me tell you." "Once, there happily lived a young couple in the foothills of mount Ngự, now known as mount Tam Thanh." "Back then, the Kỳ Lừa market was situated adjacent to the foothills, casting its reflection upon the Kỳ Cùng river." "My mom said it was really big, even much more busy than now." "Crowded both on and off wharf." "People from the other side of the border often crossed the river to trade domestic goods for cinnamon, anise, mushrooms and wood ears." "At each fair, the traders usually told of foreign lands, which are wealthy, replete with silk and brocade fabric." "That filled the husband's heart with greed." "Once, tempted by a female trader, the husband fled with her and never returned." "The wife worked hard to bring up the child on her own." "She lied that her husband was away on a business trip and coming home soon." "Each afternoon, the child asked his mom to take him to the mountain looking for his dad." "Day after day, the father was still nowhere to be seen." "One rainy night, people saw the mother and the child climbing up the mountain." "Then came the dawn, yet, still no return." "The next day, the villagers looked up at the mountain to find the mother and the child still standing up there, until today." "The road ahead is broken." "Please wait here." " When can we leave?" " I have no idea." "Watch out, this road is under constant shelling." "Hello, this is the provincial military command post." "No, no one has been allowed to go into town." "The entire area is under military control." "Yes, we will report later." "Well, the provincial cadre called again." "We can provide you with the latest war situation." "About the crimes and damages caused by the enemy, you have to wait." "A telegram just arrived, chief." "But, can you estimate how much the town was destroyed?" "Immeasurable." "Almost the entire town." "How about the number of deaths and injuries, in the town alone?" "We are dealing with the consequences." "No specific figures available yet." " Comrade Na." "Go with me." " Yes." "Lieutenant colonel." "I really need to take a few pictures." "Can you please arrange for me to get into town?" "No, not now." "We've just caught some spies." "Just ask comrade Tuan right here." "Nonetheless, I'd like to see the town with my own eyes." "Our mission is to promptly expose the crimes of the invaders." "Comrade, go get the engineering duty officers for me." "Alright, as you wish." "Some foreign journalists proposed, but we refused them all." "Phong Lan?" "Thanh Lan?" "You must be Ngọc Lan then." "In tenth grade, I loved a girl called Mận Hoàng Lan." "She was as beautiful as her name." "Where is she now?" "Any photo?" "Can I have a look?" "Photo?" "I didn't have any, since she didn't love me back." "What a nuisance!" "How dare you brag then?" "I have to go into town now." "Don't be sad without me." "Damn." " Be very careful." " I got it." "Stay close to the engineering officers and don't stay too long in town." "Rest assured, comrade." "I'll get out as soon as I'm done." " I hope you will complete the task." " Thank you, comrade." "Present, comrade." "Ensure the safety of the journalist." "Let's go." "(reciting folk verses) In Đồng Đăng town sit Kỳ Lừa street," "The statue of Lady Tô Thị and Tam Thanh pagoda." "If you come to the land of Lạng Sơn with me," "It is worth it for your parents to have given birth to you." "Whenever he had in his hands a bottle of wine and a piece of hash," "He would perfectly forget everything that his wife had told him." "Stop." "Squad 1, follow me." "Move forward." "A spy." " Deploy a combat squad." " Yes." " So, what happened?" " He got away." "You were just behind him." "Didn't see anyone." "Dammit." "Spread out." "Lie down." "Mined area." "(Tày people singing Sli Lượn) Girls, you went to market late today." "Yes, we were late from watching over the chickens, cows and buffalos." "The way home is still so far away." "And it looks like it's gonna rain I'm afraid." "(Speaking in ethnic language)" "Who let you shoot?" "Just an ownerless dog." "(Speaking in ethnic language)" "Hey, are you swearing at me?" "Listen, if you kill the dog, you'll be dead to me." "Come over here." "Journalist." "Shooting dogs again in there?" "No, still standing here." "Stay here." "What did they do that for?" "For destroying the old world, forging the new world." "Rebellion is justified." "Bombard the headquarters." "Why did they vandalize the historical relics?" "Was there no one to stop them?" "People were too afraid to do it." "Once the masses acted like that, the rest had to obey." "They even killed the sparrows." "What did they do wrong to deserve that?" "After all, they had their own reasons." "What?" "It makes no sense." "That is their business, not ours." "You should not go further into town." " Trọng, escort the journalist." " Yes." "Let's go." "Hey." "Is this Đông Kinh street?" "This is also my first time here." "Back then, my mom told me that we lived across the Railway street." "My dad worked as a ticket man." "I was too small to remember well." "I only recall that everytime I cried, my dad would soothe me by saying he would take me to Đông Kinh if I stopped crying." "I thought that was some faraway city, filled with sunshine and glassy twinkles." "Mom." " So, you have summer holidays now?" " Yes, mom." "Let go, you dropped all the plums." "Pick them up." " Mom." " Yes?" "Really?" "Where is he?" " Have some plums." " Yes." " Would you like some peaches?" " Don't worry about me." " We have this delicious plum variety from Mẫu Sơn region." " I've heard of it." "When you leave, don't forget to take some for your parents." "Hello, madam." "How are you, mister?" "Have a seat." "Make yourself at home, we're like a family." "Thanh's just back home." "Hi, mister." "It's been only over a year but I almost didn't recognize you." "I thought you're some visitor from Hanoi." " I'm having summer holidays." " Yes, we're just back from the train station." "Madam, how is your rheumatic problem?" " Why don't you come over for the medicine?" " Thank you." "Since I got a drink stall, it has kept me busy." "Madam, I've spared some of my best medicines for you." "Thank you." "That's so kind of you." " How much do they cost?" " Don't mention it." "Glad to see you and Ms. Thanh." "I have to leave now." "My guests are waiting." "Hey, drop by when you have time." "I live right next to you." " Let me pay for the medicines." " Next time." "Mister." " Is he overseas Chinese?" " Yes, he sells Chinese herbal medicine." "As soon as he gets back home, everyone in the neighbourhood will know about you." "Thanh, I can't live without you." "Tell me the same thing, please." "How silly you are." "Didn't you notice anything in my mom's attitude?" "I'd like to talk to her." "I've told her everything." "I hide nothing from my mom." "Hi, sir." "You are back." "Yes, I'm on summer vacation." "How have you been lately?" "Thank you, I'm fine." " Have a drink." " Yes." "Vũ, I can't live away from my hometown." "My mom has me only." "Vũ, have a look." "Beautiful right?" "Fall, 1978." "In memory of Lạng Sơn." "I wonder where she is now." "There's somebody in that house." "I don't know." "I don't know anything." "Stop questioning me." "Recently, we've discovered that" "Ms. Thanh's father is still alive, unlike how she stated in her history record." "She didn't tell you anything?" "But where did you hear this from?" "A reliable source." "I thought you were acquainted with her family." "Yes." "But if her dad is still alive, why did she have to hide it?" "The problem is, he is no longer in the North." "Why did he move to the South?" "What does he do now?" "Where does he live?" "That's what our organization is investigating for verification." "Well, let me ask you frankly." "I've finished." "There are some documents left, would you like me to type them?" "Yes, please." "Mister." " Congratulations." " Thank you." "Thank you." " I'm leaving." " Goodbye." "Do you think Ms. Thanh had no idea about this?" "Or she knew but concealed it." "Pardon?" "Someone raised this question." "To be honest, we were just friends." "I had no interest in digging deeper into her family problems." "You know, I'm waiting for the school to assign me a job." "I'm concerned with nothing but my career." "I knew it." "Back then, I was selling herbs near the train station." "Mr. Ký had fled to the South." "There is a traitor in this family." "Have they received any news from him since then?" "If they have, they wouldn't say a word anyway." "I've reported this to the local authorities." "Be alert." "What did the local authorities make of it?" "They still licensed her to run a drink stall." "That's bad." "In China, "bad people" were sent away for "re-education"." "Start a cultural revolution." "That cultural revolution thing has nothing to do with us." "Shit." "You will learn by reading this book." "I give it you for free." "Comrade." "Comrade." "Hey, comrade." "I paid already." "Take this too." "Comrade." "Just a second." "This book is precious." "It's really good." "Read it." "It's good, I give it you for free." "Goodbye." "Swing it steadily, guys." "My turn." " Mrs. Ký, you just got back from shopping?" " Hi, yes." "One, two, three." "How are you feeling?" " Any better?" " Yes." "I'm not sad anymore." "Vũ, it's such good news that my dad is still alive, isn't it?" "You are so naive." "No matter what happens, I'm glad he's still alive." "We will reunite someday." "But he can't do you any good." "While you have to bear all the responsibilities because of him." "What kind of responsibilities?" "What kind of responsibilities?" "Everybody has to be responsible towards each other." "Forget it." "It doesn't matter to you anyway." "You don't have any big dreams." "What kind of dreams are you talking about?" "You dreamed of becoming a teacher, returning to hometown to teach." "Didn't you?" "How about you?" "You never told me." "I don't even know where to begin with." "Once you get a desired job," "It's time to start working hard for earning credibility at work." "It's tough to establish your own position." "Has anyone doubted you?" "Please tell." "I wonder if it's like how I'm feeling right now." "If yes, I would be screwed." "Never let anyone doubt you at all." "Do you have any doubts about me?" "Thanh" "Why are you asking this?" "About your history record, I'm sure there was a mistake." "You didn't do it deliberately." "Moreover, it takes time to verify this matter." "I just need you to trust me." "Waiting like this is pure torture." "My best friends are all working, there and everywhere." "While I'm jobless." "Why don't you return to Lạng Sơn?" "Don't be sad, I'll take you home to your mom." "Go with me." "Attention, passengers." "The boarding gate is open for passengers departing from Hanoi to Lạng Sơn." "The train is now standing at platform 3." "Passengers with tickets please quickly get on the train." "Tickets sold out." "Do not slam the door." "The train is leaving in 2 minutes." "Train inspectors please close the gate." "Trọng." " Forget it." " Hold this piece of plastic." " I'm all drenched." " Hà, wait for me." "I almost jumped out of my skin." " I thought you were.." " Who?" "A spy." "They're good at disguising as our people." "Many people mistook." "Where did you two go?" "We went to repair the cables." " Are you from this town too?" " Yes." "Is your family safe after the bombing?" "Yes, but our house was completely destroyed." "Luckily" "I found my dog." "What a good dog." "She's really smart." "She insisted on staying to watch over our house." "By the way, do you know about a drink stall across the road?" "Which one?" "I don't remember much, except that it was across the road." "Behind a tropical almond tree." "They offered plates of ripe plums." "The owner had a daughter named Thanh." "That's Mrs. Ký Hồng, Thanh's mother." "Their house is over there." "I remember now." "I wonder if her family is safe." "I met her when she returned to find her students." "When?" "Where did you meet her?" "We were the last people to leave the town." "Mortars exploded right next to the underground bomb shelter." "I wonder if she managed to escape in time." "Hà, come over here." "I'm writing to you from Lạng Sơn." "Thinking about what happened, I feel sorry for my mom more than ever." "I don't blame her at all." "She didn't do anything wrong." "It's only because she loves me that she didn't want me to know about that hurtful truth." "It's true that my father is still alive, not like how I stated in the history record." "In 1954, after peace was restored." "My father fell in love with a female trader from Hải Phòng." "They fled to the South." "I didn't know about that until now." "The verification is done as well." "I understand and sympathize with your concerns" "You have to go further in your life and career path" "Don't worry about me." "I just hope you will achieve all your dreams and ambitions." "And never forget me." "So, the tale of Lady Tô Thị is real, except for turning into a stone." "I wonder if you could do me a favor." "What is it?" "Go ahead." "When it stops raining, could you take a picture of us please?" "Sure." "Where should we stand?" "Over the road, behind the tropical almond tree." "We stop here." "There are still many land mines in the town." " I will walk." " Comrade, I'm asking you to stay." "It's too dangerous to go into town now." " I'm a journalist from the Akahata newspaper in Hanoi." " Yes, I know." "It's the Japanese Communist Party's newspaper and I'm a member of the Party." "Let me go into town like your comrades." "Wait, comrade." "Damn." "Park the car to the side." "Oil processing plant was attacked in the morning of 22nd." "Be careful, comrade." "Let's get out." "Today, my Chinese students came to bid farewell, before moving to the other side of the border." "Seeing them cry made me cry too." "The girls gave me a scarf which they embroidered themselves." "Military trains running across borders." "Is there going to be another war?" "Only a week to go until the children's first semester exam." "Journalist." " They just found some students, and probably teachers too." " Where?" "In the secondary school." "To the right." "Who is running?" "Stop." "Do you have a permit to enter the town?" "Yes, I do." "Please, wait here and go with the Japanese journalist." "The street ahead is inaccessible." "Mined area." "No trespassing." "Take him out." "I beg you." "Hit him." "Calm down." "I beg you." "Wait, shoot him by the river later." "My sons left with the liberation army and abandoned me." "I beg you." "I bow down to you." " What's happening?" " We've caught a spy." "Mr. Phoóng." "Why are you here?" "Where are your sons?" "They left with the liberation army." "They said I'm dying anyway." "They abandoned me." "I beg you." "Shoot him." "Stop." "I order you not to shoot." "Don't accuse him falsely." "To hell with your hypocrisy." "What did you say?" "I said to hell with your hypocrisy." "Tie him up and throw him into the river." "Which unit are you in?" "Corps 4." " Corps 4." " Yes." "Your gathering place is across the river." "What are you still doing here?" "Bring him to the provincial team." " Hand him over properly." " Yes." "Fix your outfits." "Stand up." "Move." "Nguyễn Thị Hoa, 8 years old, Đông Kinh street." "Number 32 probably." "And this kid?" "Is she Yến?" "Bùi Hải Yến, 13 years old." "List of victims found in the town." "To Hà: 2 students, Dũng and Nga are found." "I'll evacuate to Đồng Mỏ." "Thanh." "Đồng Mỏ." "Thanh" "When entering the town earlier," "I saw a peach blossom tree blooming by the debris." "It reminded me of the cherry trees in Japan, my homeland." "I want to warn my readers that" "Their cherry trees are also in danger." "Long ago, on the other side of the border, people were encouraged to destroy the cultural heritage sites." "A girl from this town asked me why they did it." "I replied that it's their business, not ours." " None of our business?" " Exactly." "I made a mistake." "Our planet has become so small indeed, that everything is interrelated." "Even the fate of a country or a human being." " This way, please." " Yes." "But there was a time they stood by you." "Where did the betrayal come from?" "Yes, they used to." "But once a person starts pursuing his ambitions and self-interests." "He could betray anyone, including his relatives." "This morning, I met the prisoners." "Some of them are so young, without a sign of murderer." "I don't get why they could commit crimes so easily." "You know," "At first, it started with things that seemed to have nothing to do with crime." "Like killing the sparrows, swimming across the Yangtze, reading the Little Red Books, making big character posters." "But actually those were rehearsals for molding people into fanatics and fools." "The eternal tragedy of the deceived masses." "The soldiers of Mao's expansionism," "The green beret soldiers," "Or the soldiers of Nazi Germany, and Japanese fascism," "They were not scared of any crime." "But when having to confront themselves, they were total cowards." "Yes, cowardice is always an ally of crime." "To be exact, it is the root of crime." "I still remember some old Japanese haiku" "Yesterday, an army  did not scare me." "Today, I'm scared by my own shadow." "Now I understand this poem, in a different way, that it's also a reminder for mankind." "Let's go." "Do you still remember Julius Fucik's last words?" "Yes, I do." "Humans, I have loved you all." "Be..." "Comrade." "Don't move." "Bandage." "Clear up." " Get a vehicle by all means." " Yes." " Contacted the provincial office yet?" " Yes, it's done." "Comrade." "I still remember Fucik's words." "Humans..." "Be vigilant!" "Stay put." "Look, it's Trọng." "Oh no, he's hurt." "Stay still." "Tie him up." "Trọng, are you okay?" "I'm so tired." "Can I have a sip of water?" "Here you are." "I recognized him." "Do you need to take a photo of him for identification?" "No, I don't." "Read it." "I give you for free." "Comrade, I give you for free." "Comrade, it's great." "Take it." "There will always be clouds and an old pass at the border." "A land of sun and rain, a lifetime of burden." "Let me return to the old street, where a tropical almond tree still has its green leaves." "Like my memories which remain green as time passes by." "Meet me again at this place, a color of the sun did not fade." "The old garden with fragrant flowers that you visited." "I look into your heart, for...(?" ")" "Going through life, we'll forever treasure this place." "A lifetime to remember." "Hey kids, are you Ms. Thanh's students?" " Who is Ms. Thanh?" " She evacuated to Đồng Mỏ from the town." " Ms. Thanh from Lạng Sơn right?" " Yes, where is her room?" " The last one, with a light in the window." "Let me show you." " Thank you." " Who's that?" " I don't know either." "Have a drink." "Wait, there's blood on your arm." "I escorted the Japanese journalist into town." "You hit a land mine?" "No, got shot." "Was anyone hurt?" "The journalist sacrificed himself." "How is the town?" "Could you stop by my house?" "Yes" "The peach tree in your yard is still there." "In Đồng Đăng town sit Kỳ Lừa street," "The statue of Lady Tô Thị and Tam Thanh pagoda." "That was the land of Lạng Sơn where a girl was going to with her man," "How sorry she was for her parents after all these years having taken care of her." "But whenever her man had in his hands a bottle of wine and a piece of hash," "He would perfectly forget everything that she had told him." "So, her precious gold dowry had been lost in the Ngô river." "Yet, at night in her dream, she would wander about the Thương river to look for it."