Filming for the historical film project Tây Sơn Thất Hổ Tướng (The Seven Valiant Generals of the Tay Son Dynasty) is scheduled to officially begin on May 20 at a newly built studio inside the Rosa Alba Hầm Hô tourist area in Bình Phú Commune, Gia Lai Province.
Ahead of production, reporters from Gia Lai Newspaper and Radio & Television spoke with Phan Phúc, Deputy Director of Temc Cinema Co., Ltd. in Ho Chi Minh City and founder of the project, about the ambitions behind the film and its broader cultural vision.
* After a long period of preparation, what are your expectations as filming is about to begin?
Mr. Phan Phúc, founder of the Tây Sơn thất hổ tướng project, speaks at the launch ceremony for the production team and cast in mid-April 2026. Photo: Provided by the Organizers
- The project has received considerable attention and support from local authorities, investors, partners, and history enthusiasts across Vietnam, particularly those interested in the Tây Sơn era.
Our team is fully aware of the responsibility involved in creating a serious and meaningful production. We hope the film can vividly and authentically recreate a heroic chapter of Vietnamese history on the very land associated with the Tây Sơn peasant movement.
This is not merely an entertainment project. It is also an effort to promote the nation’s historical and cultural values to contemporary audiences.
We expect the film to contribute to local cultural and tourism activities in the coming years, especially during National Tourism Year - Gia Lai 2026.
In the longer term, we hope the project can help open a new direction for the film industry by connecting cinema with cultural tourism in the homeland of the Tây Sơn tam kiệt. When film, history, and tourism are closely linked, it creates a stronger opportunity to promote the region and its people.
* Why did your team decide to focus on the “Seven Tiger Generals” instead of Emperor Quang Trung, as many previous productions have done?
- Emperor Quang Trung - Nguyễn Huệ was a brilliant military strategist whose victories became part of Vietnam’s history. However, behind those achievements stood many talented generals who helped build the strength of the Tây Sơn movement.
We chose to tell the story of the “Seven Tiger Generals” because it offers a broader and richer narrative space. Each general carries a distinct personality, destiny, and martial talent.
For example, the famous general Lý Văn Bưu was known not only for training horses but also for his exceptional archery skills. That diversity allows the film to explore a wider range of characters and emotions.
More importantly, through these stories, we want to highlight the spirit of unity, loyalty, and solidarity among the heroes who contributed to the nation-building process during that period. Those values remain among the most significant legacies of the Tây Sơn movement.
* What impact do you expect from building the film set at the Rosa Alba Hầm Hô tourist area?
The entrance to the insurgent army’s camp at the film set built in the Hầm Hô Rosa Alba tourist area (Bình Phú commune). Photo: Provided by the Organizers
- The decision to choose Rosa Alba Hầm Hô as the main filming location was carefully considered.
The area offers landscapes that match the film’s requirements and is closely connected to historical sites and stories linked to the Tây Sơn movement.
The set is being developed not only for the production of Tây Sơn Thất Hổ Tướng but also with the goal of becoming a long-term cultural tourism destination.
A number of historical features are being reconstructed, including insurgent camps, training grounds, execution grounds, prisons, secret chambers, and horse stables. All have been carefully researched to recreate the atmosphere of the period.
We hope that after the film is released, visitors will be able to tour and experience the set firsthand. Film tourism has already proven successful in many countries and is also gaining momentum in several parts of Vietnam.
With proper investment, we believe the Tây Sơn Thất Hổ Tướng set could become a new tourism product for Gia Lai and help stimulate related services.
The three project founders (from left): Phan Phúc, Võ Đức, Đỗ Khôi, together with artists and guests at the launch event for the Tây Sơn thất hổ tướng film crew. Photo: Provided by the Organizers
* How will the film help bring the story of the Tây Sơn era to modern audiences?
- We believe history must be told through the language of modern cinema while still preserving its original spirit.
Our team has spent significant time researching historical documents and consulting experts to refine the screenplay. Costumes, armor, weapons, and settings have all been carefully designed to ensure both authenticity and visual appeal.
The film features well-known actors including Doãn Quốc Đam, Lê Hạ Anh, and Hiếu Nguyễn, alongside collaborations with units specializing in traditional costumes and martial arts such as Vạn Thiên Y, Chiêu Minh Các, and Đại Việt Võ Bị.
We hope audiences will not only enjoy the film’s battle scenes and action sequences, but also gain a deeper sense of the martial spirit, courage, and cultural identity of people during the Tây Sơn era.
The Gia Lai Provincial People's Committee has approved a proposal to stage a high-altitude fireworks display as part of the "Eo Gió - Dance of the blue sea" art program, scheduled for the evening of July 11 at the Eo Gió Ecotourism Area in East Quy Nhơn Ward.
Seven artists from different regions of Vietnam and Thailand will present 70 paintings at the “Private Skies” exhibition, scheduled to take place from July 4 to 10 at Gallery 3B in Cau Kieu Ward, Ho Chi Minh City.
Rare imperial decrees from the Nguyễn Dynasty have been carefully preserved by residents of Nhơn Châu island commune in Gia Lai province for nearly a century, serving as enduring symbols of the island’s maritime traditions and cultural identity.
Authorities and cultural experts in Vietnam’s Gia Lai province convened a scientific seminar on Wednesday to finalize dossiers seeking provincial heritage recognition for two sites: the residence and grave of patriot Nguyen Huu Hao and the H’Bâu Ancient Church.
Distinct culinary traditions across Vietnam are reflected in the offering trays prepared for Tết Đoan Ngọ, one of the country's most important traditional festivals, celebrated on the fifth day of the fifth lunar month.
The Binh Dinh Bai Choi Opera Troupe, under the Gia Lai Provincial Traditional Arts Theater, staged the final dress rehearsal of the Bai Choi opera “Princess Huyen Tran” on Monday after completing 60 intensive training and production sessions, ahead of its planned public tour.
Pleiku Fest 2026, a major cultural and entertainment event celebrating the National Tourism Year - Gia Lai 2026, was officially unveiled at a press conference held on June 9 at the Gia Lai Provincial Convention Center.
Winning a gold medal at the 2026 National Piano Talent Festival has marked a significant milestone for Nguyễn Ngọc Đan Thanh, a student at Hùng Vương High School for the Gifted, and strengthened her ambition to pursue a professional career in music.
Quy Nhon University's Youth Union and Vietnam Student Association on May 31 held the final round of the 2026 Student Singing Contest, attracting strong participation and support from students and youth union members across the university.
An Giang provincial museum and the Pleiku museum of Gia Lai on May 27 opened a joint exhibition titled “The Colors of Gia Lai and An Giang Cultures” at the An Giang Provincial Museum’s Facility 1 in Rach Gia Ward, An Giang Province.
The Gia Lai Provincial Association of Literature and Arts, in collaboration with the Ho Chi Minh City Fine Arts Association, opened the “Giao Hoa 2” Fine Arts Exhibition 2026 on May 26 at the grounds of the Gia Lai Provincial Convention Center in Quy Nhon Ward, Gia Lai Province.
In the quiet village of Mrông Yố in Gia Lai province, artisan Rơ Châm Guk has dedicated decades to preserving and passing on the ancient gong culture of the Jrai people, earning recognition as one of the Central Highlands’ most respected cultural guardians.
Artists participating in the reality TV show “Say Hi Rực Rỡ” held a lively music exchange on Cù Lao Xanh island on the evening of May 21, attracting large crowds of local residents and tourists after three days of filming on the island.
Gia Lai province has introduced a sweeping support package for traditional performing arts, aiming to revive hát bội and bài chòi through direct funding for artists, amateur troupes and young trainees.
TEMC Cinema Co., Ltd., together with the production team, officially launched the historical action film project “Tây Sơn thất hổ tướng: Kỳ Nam Archer Lý Văn Bưu” during a ceremony held on May 20 at the Rosa Alba Ham Ho Film Studio in Bình Phú Commune, Gia Lai Province.
Authorities in Gia Lai province are reassessing preparations for the Central Highlands Music and Arts Festival after organizers proposed postponing the event from late May to late June 2026 to allow more time for rehearsals, technical work and quality control.
The Gia Lai Provincial Association of Literature and Arts inaugurated the second phase of the “Land and People of Gia Lai” sculpture complex on Monday at the Hoi Phu Stream Urban Area in Hoi Phu Ward, expanding the province’s growing public art space with 11 additional works.
Authorities and ethnic minority communities in Gia Lai province have revived a series of traditional Bahnar and Jrai rituals since the beginning of 2026 in an effort to preserve cultural identity and promote community-based tourism.
A community-based cultural tourism initiative in Gia Lai is drawing growing interest from students and visitors alike, offering immersive experiences that showcase the traditional heritage of the Jrai ethnic community.
Young members of Vietnam’s Jrai and Bahnar ethnic groups are using social media to introduce their traditional culture, cuisine and village life to wider audiences through short videos produced in English.
The first Gia Lai Provincial Ethnic Cultural Festival 2026 attracted large crowds of domestic and international visitors, underscoring the growing appeal of cultural tourism in Vietnam’s Central Highlands while also highlighting the need for deeper cultural interpretation and visitor engagement.
A historic site in Gia Lai province that once sustained the Tây Sơn insurgent army is now a thriving agricultural landscape, highlighting both economic renewal and ongoing preservation challenges.
Amid the resonant sounds of gongs, the Jrai people in Ơp village (Pleiku ward) gathered to perform the new communal house blessing ceremony, a sacred ritual that has been closely tied to the village community for generations.
Schools across Vietnam are turning to revolutionary music as an innovative way to teach history, transforming lessons from static textbook content into vivid, experiential learning.
