Aya, a Bahnar woman from Gia Lai province, has produced a series of AI-generated videos that depict local legends, historical figures and cultural narratives. Since March 2026, she has released six short films, each running between one and six minutes, covering stories such as the legend of the Kơ nia tree, Bien Ho – Ia Nueng, and the epic Dam Giong – Bia Phu, alongside a three-part series on Hero Wừu.
The films have attracted significant attention online. Her video on the Bien Ho – Ia Nueng legend has surpassed 100,000 views on Facebook, alongside thousands of reactions and shares, while the same content has drawn more than 256,000 views on TikTok. Another film on the Dam Giong – Bia Phu epic has also gained tens of thousands of views.
Aya said her motivation stems from a desire to preserve and modernise traditional storytelling. Raised on oral tales passed down by her grandparents, she sought to visualise these stories for younger audiences more accustomed to digital content.
“Many of these stories exist only in oral or written form. I wanted to bring them to life through images so they can reach more people, especially young viewers,” she said.
Producing the films is a labour-intensive process. Aya creates dozens or even hundreds of scenes for each video, refining AI prompts repeatedly to achieve the desired visuals. She then adds Vietnamese subtitles, background music and her own narration in the Bahnar language.
Alongside her filmmaking, Aya is known for developing a digital Kinh–Bahnar dictionary with more than 6,000 entries and managing the “Bahnar Ơi” social media page, where she shares cultural content about the Bahnar and Jrai communities.
Her work has been praised by educators and cultural experts. Vu Thi Ngoan, a History–Geography teacher, described the films as concise and vivid tools that help students better understand local heritage.
Nguyen Thi Kim Van, former director of the Gia Lai Provincial Museum, said the initiative plays a meaningful role in preserving cultural identity. She noted that Aya’s work helps reconnect younger generations with traditional values that risk being overshadowed by modern influences.
Aya’s films highlight how emerging technologies such as AI are being adapted to preserve cultural heritage, offering a new medium for storytelling rooted in tradition while resonating with contemporary audiences.