Truth and tragedy
For nearly three decades, a Vietnamese biographer has been recording the poignant struggles of everyday people.
Over the past 27 years, Vo Dac Danh, a biographer, journalist and documentary director, has amassed an enormous collection of material.
His subject matter almost always consists of the real-life accounts of everyday people who have suffered hardships and struggled against adversity.
Among his acclaimed biographical collections are Noi niem U Minh Ha (Pitiful Lives in U Minh Ha, 2001), Dong co chat (Chat Meadow, 2004) and The gioi nguoi dien (The World of the Insanes, 2006).
The books have each been republished three times a rare occurrence for biographies.
To date, more than 80 of Danh biographies have been transformed into documentary films and television series.
He has also directed over 20 documentary films and won a prize in the Vietnam Film Festival in 1999 for his documentary Con trau (The Buffalo).
The invincible power of truth
Danh passion for biographies began when he was just 17 after a friend suggested he write a newspaper article.
His first piece of work was titled Chuyen cua chung toi (Our Story) and he was hooked on writing from then on.
 |
| Vo Dac Danh interviews a group of villagers. For 27 years he has written about the lives of ordinary people and the hardships they faces |
œJournalism has chosen me, he said. œI sometimes tried my hand at other kinds of writing, but they all turned out to be biographies.
Danh subjects are often everyday people like farmers.
He often writes about their pastoral lives in Vietnam including those from his hometown in the country southernmost province of Ca Mau.
Danh says he considers himself an empathetic individual who writes about his fellow men, focusing mainly on the suffering and misery the farmers have endured.
œFarmers have always suffered the most, he said.
Danh writing is not overly sentimental, however, but rough and assertive with the poignancy of truth.
His characters have stepped from real life into his works, in which they lead miserable lives but still cling to glimmers of hope.
œBiographies must tell about real characters and events and Ive always abided by that principle, Danh said.
œMy characters are real people, so I have to ensure all details about them are true. Otherwise I will lose the confidence of my readers.
Danh said people always ask him why he doesnt write other kinds of prose or fictional work.
œIn my opinion, reality is rich already, so I dont need any more fiction.
I came upon authentic material and a writer, no matter how talented they are, can hardly invent that, Danh emphasized.
It is the realness that captivates readers, he stresses, and there is a timeless quality about it.
œIm not afraid people might get bored with my prominent subject matter farmers and their fate, Danh said, adding that he will never stop writing biographies.
Danh also serves as a confidant to the people he writes about.
They tell him heart-wrenching stories of loss and grief, though it seems to have a very therapeutic effect, he says.
œThey want to pour out their hearts and Im willing to listen.
The thing that counts is that the writer always stands by his subjects and shares their agony.
œPerhaps my subjects and I are on the same wavelength.
Source ThanhnienNews