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Bringing documentaries closer to young audiences: History needs a new way of storytelling
Báo Văn hóa
18/06/2026
22:18
In the auditorium of the premiere screening themed "Heritage in the Heart," the film "Vietnam - Ho Chi Minh" by People's Artist Dao Trong Khanh was presented as an opening statement for the journey to bring documentary films closer to contemporary life. Beyond the presence of artists, researchers, and film industry professionals, it was notable to see many young faces—a demographic not typically familiar with the documentary genre.
Khán giả tham dự buổi chiếu phim tài liệu “Việt Nam - Hồ Chí Minh”
Great heritage, but a long way to go
Throughout nearly 70 years of formation and development (1956-2026), the Documentary and Scientific Film Studio (DSF) has produced thousands of works, preserving millions of meters of documentary footage on war, peace, social life, science, culture, and the people of Vietnam. However, the paradox is that for many years, many valuable films have remained in storage, little known outside of professional circles or limited television broadcast slots.
In a context where social media continuously shapes new consumption habits, young people are increasingly accustomed to short, fast-paced, and highly entertaining content. A documentary lasting several dozen minutes, or even hours, with a slow narrative pace and multi-layered structure, does not easily generate appeal. This is a reality that filmmakers must acknowledge if they want to bring documentaries closer to young audiences.
Mr. Trinh Quang Tung, Deputy General Director of the Documentary and Scientific Film Studio (DSF), believes that the important thing is not just preserving materials but also finding ways for those memories to step out of the film archives and live in contemporary life.
With that in mind, the "Vietnam Untold" project was launched by DSF for the first time as a new approach model, where documentaries are not only screened but also placed in a space for dialogue, experience, and interaction. Each month, the program selects a theme tied to the country's historical and cultural milestones. Following the screening is an exchange session with witnesses, artists, and filmmakers—an element that creates the program's unique appeal.
In May, heading towards the 136th anniversary of President Ho Chi Minh's birthday, the film "Vietnam - Ho Chi Minh" was chosen as a bridge for young people to access Uncle Ho's journey through the authentic imagery of documentary cinema. When People's Artist and battlefield cinematographer Nguyen Van Nam recounted his days working amidst the bombs and bullets of Quang Tri or the moments facing B-52 airstrikes in Hanoi, the atmosphere in the auditorium often fell into a hushed silence. Through those stories, history appeared much more intimate and vivid.
War is depicted through the memories of those who lived through the bombs, through the scars still carried on their bodies, and through the belief of the generation of cameramen who knew they had to record what was happening so that future generations would understand how their forefathers lived, fought, and sacrificed. That is also the unique value that documentaries still retain amidst the many types of content today: authenticity and emotional depth.
History is not far from young people, just the storytelling approach is not close enough
According to Mr. Do Lenh Hung Tu, Chairman of the Vietnam Cinema Association, the current difficulty for documentaries does not lie in a lack of value, but in the gap in public access. Vietnam possesses an exceptionally precious archive of cinematic materials, recording war, peace, the country's development, and the portraits of many generations of Vietnamese people. "Many films today have become cultural heritage because both the people in the films and the filmmakers themselves are no longer with us," shared Mr. Do Lenh Hung Tu.
According to him, the responsibility of cinema today is both to preserve and to find ways to retell these stories so that history continues to live in the consciousness of the new generation. In the digital age, young people receive information with a different rhythm and language. This requires documentaries to increase their narrative quality, enhance interactivity, and, most importantly, appear where young people are present.
That is also the reason the "Vietnam Untold" project chose to partner with BEAT Network—a media platform with strong reach to youth in the digital environment. If DSF provides the original film archive and documentary value, social media will become an "extended arm," bringing slices of history closer through short clips, introductory content, behind-the-scenes footage, or conversations with witnesses. It is not about replacing traditional documentaries, but creating a "doorway" to spark curiosity.
The challenge, therefore, is not to "entertain-ize" history, but to find a new narrative language so that history becomes more accessible. This could be screenings combined with witness exchanges, short introductory versions before watching the full film, or a storytelling style that is more emotional and closer to personal experience. The core remains keeping the honest spirit of documentary cinema.
The birth of "Vietnam Untold" can be seen as a notable experiment in the journey to bring documentaries back to contemporary life. In an era where the pace of life and information changes daily, history will not become distant if it is told in a language suitable for the way young people receive information today. From such screenings, films that seemed to lie dormant in storage archives have the opportunity to connect the young generation with the past, and with the people who went through the war to create the present.
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