After more than 2 months of launching a movement to compose songs and write stage scripts about anti-COVID fight, the organisers received nearly 300 entries from professional and amateur musicians and screenwriters from all over the country. According to the appraisal council, most of entries boasted high aesthetic value and highlighted the city’s spirit and remarkable achievements in its fight against COVID-19.

The ‘A march during the COVID-19 pandemic’ dance performance by artistes from the Da Nang Dance Artists' Association. Photo: XUAN DUNG

Attracting a large number of entrants

Launched in late September by the Da Nang Department of Culture and Sports, the movement aimed to call for the entire population to join hands to overcome the pandemic-triggered difficulties and honour the dedication and sacrifices of the frontline forces in the fight against COVID-19.

As of November 30, 2021, the municipal Department of Culture and Sports had received a total of 281 entries of 172 individuals and groups from more than 35 provinces and cities nationwide. Of which, there had been 242 songs and 39 stage scripts.

The large number of entries and entrants has affirmed the pervasiveness of the movement in the fight against COVID-19 pandemic in the city in particular, and the country in general.

Under the movement’s rules, each participating author or group of authors can submit a maximum of 3 songs and 2 stage scripts. Therefore, many individuals and groups actively sent the maximum amount allowed.

For example, the Lam Son Music and Dance Theater in Thanh Hoa Province submitted 3 songs named ‘Join hands to repel COVID-19’, ‘For a peaceful life’ and ‘Unanimously winning the battle against COVID-19’.

Director of the Lam Son Music and Dance Theater Vu Trong Huynh said that all three songs were composed by the theatre’s musicians in mid-August 2021. He highlighted the significance of the movement in spreading the anti-pandemic spirit to people from all walks of life.

Many works with high artistic values

Entrants from Da Nang dominated the movement. Author Vo Trung from the Da Nang Cinema and Culture Center registered for the movement with 2 stage scripts: a ‘Boundary’ play and a ‘Joining efforts to repel COVID-19’ folk song performance.

Author Vo Trung said that the ‘Boundary’ play was inspired by the namesake documentary film by director Ta Quynh Tu of the Viet Nam Television.

The play featured stories of health workers helping pregnant women with COVID-19 at a local hospital. However, the author used some artistic tricks and refreshed most of the content to highlight the hard work and sacrifices of the doctors and nurses in the fight to save patients’ lives.

Meanwhile, the ‘Joining efforts to repel COVID-19’ folk song performance featured some typical melodies of folk songs such as ‘me’, ‘ho Quang’, ‘ly’, etc.

According to Meritorious Artist Tran Ngoc Tuan, a Member of the Executive Committee of the Viet Nam Association of Theater Artists cum Chairman of the Screenplay Appraisal Council, most of entries had high artistic and human values, imbued with national culture, and easily entried into people's hearts. They showed a high level of consensus among the government and people, as well as honoured the dedication and sacrifices of the frontline forces in the battle against COVID-19.

The awards ceremony of the movement is scheduled to take place in March 2022 instead of late December 2021 due to the complicated developments of COVID-19.

Deputy Director of the municipal Department of Culture and Sports Nguyen Thi Hoi An said that, after more than 2 months of launching, the movement attracted the participation of a large number of professional and amateur musicians and screenwriters from all over the country.

She remarked that her department would assign performing arts units in the city to stage and practice a number of highly appreciated works in the time to come.

Reporting by XUAN DUNG – Translating by M.DUNG