Documentary "Linden Tree in Green Season" Premiered in France

On the evening of October 19 in Paris, the Vietnamese Embassy in France organized a special screening of this documentary with the participation of many overseas Vietnamese, along with staff of the Embassy and representative agencies of Vietnam in France. Vietnamese Ambassador to France Dinh Toan Thang, Ambassador - Head of the Vietnamese delegation to UNESCO, Le Thi Hong Van and screenwriter Nguyen My Linh, author of the film, were present at the screening.

The film tells the history of the formation of the Vietnamese Embassy in the French Republic, the house at 62 Boileau Street in the 16th arrondissement of Paris. Led by stories told by witnesses about the history of the house, the film takes viewers back to a glorious time of the Vietnamese nation, a time when, in addition to Vietnamese diplomats, there were also overseas Vietnamese and friends in France who always tried to support and help Vietnam achieve peace, build the position of a small country, an immature government in the complicated diplomatic context of the 70s, so that even 50 years later, the veteran overseas Vietnamese and even the French friends of that time, still have for Vietnam an intact and loyal affection that has never changed, like "the Linden tree in the green season".

Construction permit granted in 1973, construction started in 1975 and inaugurated in 1977, the building at 62 Boileau Street is not only a symbol of the diplomatic relations between Vietnam and France, the efforts of the Party and State of Vietnam in building people's diplomacy, but also a symbol of the love for the homeland of Vietnamese people in France, mainly contributed by members of the Union of Overseas Vietnamese in France at that time (now the Association of Vietnamese in France - UGVF), expressed through emotions and material things throughout the century.

Sharing with reporters in France, screenwriter Nguyen My Linh said she was very lucky when Ambassador Dinh Toan Thang suggested the idea of ​​making a film about the building, and had access to valuable documents and records about the design and construction process, and the content of negotiations between the Vietnamese delegation in France and the Paris government, as well as the work of architect Vo Thanh Nghia. "The process of making the film brought me a lot of emotions, especially when reading those documents, and for me this was a stroke of luck," she confided.

Talking about future plans, Ms. My Linh said that the film will not stop here, in the near future it will be adapted into French to introduce to the second and third generations of overseas Vietnamese in France, helping them understand what their parents and grandparents have contributed and how valuable their sacrifices are to the country of Vietnam.

Talking about the idea of ​​making the film, Vietnamese Ambassador to France Dinh Toan Thang said that he had been nurturing this idea for a long time. The Ambassador believes that it is necessary to make a documentary this year to record the mark of the building at 62 Boileau Street, which has been the headquarters of the Vietnamese Embassy in France for many years, before carrying out the project of renovating and building a new headquarters. 2023 is also the occasion of the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations and 10 years of strategic partnership between Vietnam and France. This important journey has left many marks and also coincides with the age of the building. In addition, the film also aims to express gratitude to those who have designed, built and maintained this building for over 50 years, generations of diplomats who have worked here and those who have contributed to the history of the country and the history of foreign affairs of the nation.

"It can be said that the film has outlined the construction of the building 50 years ago, and at the same time outlined many major features in the country's history, in Vietnam's foreign affairs, as well as in the development of the Vietnamese movement in France. Thanks to these enormous contributions, our country and Vietnamese diplomacy have achieved great achievements like today," Ambassador Dinh Toan Thang emphasized.

The film left many emotions in the hearts of viewers. After the screening, the audience had the opportunity to listen to the sharing of the film's scriptwriter and the confidences of many overseas Vietnamese about the memories they have associated with the building at 62 Boileau Street.

Mr. Siriphanthong Vanna, a Vietnamese living in France, said that at that time, many overseas Vietnamese in associations contributed both labor and material to the construction of the house. He himself, when he was young, often helped the Embassy prepare food for large receptions. Mr. Vanna said that every time he came to this place, he always felt nostalgic for old memories, especially in the context of the building being about to be demolished. Mr. Vanna believes that making a film about the building to preserve memories is a very worthwhile thing to do.

Although he does not know much about the history of the building, young Tran Nguyen Minh Dang, a Vietnamese student currently studying at the University of Architecture of Versailles, still feels happy to understand more about a part of Vietnamese history in France, feels proud and wants to follow the examples of the previous generation to strive on his path of study.

The building at 62 Boileau Street will be demolished in the near future, ending its half-century historical role and will be replaced by a new, more spacious and modern building. The film "Linden Tree in Green Season" will be a valuable archive preserving a heroic period of Vietnamese diplomacy, as well as the achievements of half a century of friendship and 10 years of strategic partnership between Vietnam and France.