'The Sympathizer' on HBO starting 14 April.

[Carl Robinson]

As y'all might recall, I didn't think much of Nguyen Viet Thanh's -- oops! Viet Thanh Nguyen -- Pulitzer Prize winning novel The Sympathizer.  (I won't repeat myself, at least for now.)  But the HBO series based on the novel begins next Sunday, so it'd be good to hear your reactions and comments.  

Here's the official website with a Trailer.  Quite a cast of overseas Vietnamese, I must say.   Looks like Pham Xuan An made it to the US after all!   (ha ha)  I know a lot of Vietnamese refugees thought they were being spied upon by the Commies from back home but never took it this seriously!  Quite slickly produced looks like.    

 The Sympathizer | Official Website for the HBO Original | HBO.com

From the Facebook of Ngy Thanh who was a stringer photographer for AP up north, I am posting this from the SoCal-produced Nguoi Viet (Vietnamese People) newspaper about the HBO show's premier in Little Saigon. 

HBO PRESENTS 'THE SYMPATHIZER'

FILMED BY THE SAME NAME

OF NGUYEN THANH VIET CULTURE

• Do Dzung/Vietnamese (7/04/2024)

ORANGE, California (NV) – HBO cable television just premiered “The Sympathizer” series based on the work of the same name by writer Nguyen Thanh Viet at AMC Orange 30, Orange, Friday night, April 5.

“The Sympathizer” is the work of a Vietnamese-American author to win the Pulitzer Prize in 2016.

As an intro, HBO is only showing episode 1 of a seven-episode series.

While waiting for the movie, writer Nguyen Thanh Viet, USC professor, shares why he wrote "The Sympathizer" with the press.

“This is a spy fiction I wrote with a strong passion,” the first Vietnamese writer to win the Pulitzer Prize said.

“Of course, this fantasy story has many political elements that are very familiar to Vietnamese people in the 20th century. This novel is not only about world politics but also about the Vietnam war, about refugees, about history. However, in this series, the director focuses a lot on the character who acts as a dual spy at a historic time for Vietnam and Vietnamese refugees.”

He said he wrote from his view of the war, of what happened, through another glass.

"I do not intend to change people's viewpoint on the war," says writer Nguyen Thanh Viet. “I just want to tell the truth, and the truth usually annoys people. And maybe, after watching the movie or reading ‘The Sympathizer’ some people changed their outlook on war. ”

Regarding the element of Vietnamese refugees in the work as well as in the film, Mr. Viet said: “I respect what my parents went through, but I also want to present my point of view. ‘The Sympathizer’ is my story, not everyone’s. ”

He continued to explain: "I'm interested in history and balance. I know history influenced my parents. I feel the history of Vietnamese refugee."

About his characters in the story, the writer Nguyen Thanh Viet said: "I read as much as I can about the collapse of Saigon, the murders, the sanctions, what happened in the bases, who was in it... From there on, I 'build' my characters based on what I read. When watching the movie, the audience will notice a lot of familiarity in it. ”

When asked what topic is the most difficult when "imagining" characters, writer Nguyen Thanh Viet said: "The last chapter is the most difficult, because I write about characters who are put into the 'reformation learning camps. '"

The USC professor said he was honored to be at the premiere of “The Sympathizer” in Orange County, which features Little Saigon, which is considered to be the capital of Vietnamese refugees.

“Furthermore, this is a movie where 90% of the actors are Vietnamese, speak Vietnamese, and this cast of talents is great,” said writer Nguyen Thanh Viet.

Also present at the film launch, actress Kieu Chinh (played “The Mother of Miss Ten”) said: “I feel very excited when ‘The Sympathizer’ was introduced in Orange County. I'm excited that this is the first Hollywood-made biopic film by a Vietnamese author, that has been shown in multiple episodes on HBO. ”

"The majority of Vietnamese talents all over the world, from Australia, Canada, Vietnam, and the USA. "And I really enjoyed reading the script of the movie," said the former Vietnamese-born film actress.

She said that being in “The Sympathizer” was random.

“Once I attended an event, Vietnam recognized me, even though we never met or talked to each other. Then Viet said: 'Hope your story will be made into a movie, I will invite you. 'And now that word has come true," said actor Kieu Chinh.

Regarding “The Sympathizer,” Ms. Kieu Chinh said it was “very close to her life. ”

“‘The Sympathizer’ is a fantasy novel, not necessarily a documentary,” said the author Kieu Chinh. “So, the plot is very close to my life because I’m Vietnamese.”

She said that when she went to Thailand to shoot this movie, she saw the scene at the cinema "why it looks so similar to Sai Gon. ”

“There were times I thought guns were real guns, the scene of the evacuation of Saigon was re-enacted, very surreal, like what I experienced. In the role of 'Missing Mother,' a mother to America lives, misses her hometown, feels lonely... , I feel very similar to Vietnamese refugees," actor Kieu Chinh shared more.

She concluded: "For me, this is a good movie, Vietnamese people are waiting for it a lot. Opinions may differ. ”

The talented Ky Duyen, who plays the general's wife in the movie, praised the composition of "The Sympathizer" and "very happy" to be part of the acting.

"Being able to play a part in the movie, for Ky Duyen, is very happy. This is also an opportunity for me to learn more about cinema,” said the charming and famous female MC of the Russian Veterinary Center.

She added: “When making movies, HBO helps to the max.” They do everything, I just act in the movie. When I'm in movies, I realized more than anything I thought, I imagined. ”

About the reason for being selected, the actress said: "I also had to audition many times to be selected. ”

“The movie is also very close to me, because Ky Duyen grew up through the Vietnam War and lives in Little Saigon,” the talented actress said. "Hopefully everyone watches Hollywood and HBO to see how Vietnamese people respond, to see that Vietnamese actors are as talented as other countries, so that they can make more movies later. ”

Director Hoa Xuande, the main role of "The Great" in "The Sympathizer," shared with the Vietnamese Japanese newspaper that he feels very honored to appear in the movie.

“Although I have acted in many films in Australia, but this is the first time I acted in a film with a Vietnamese author's plot, which was made by Hollywood,” the Australian Vietnamese genius said. “You know, Hollywood is a ‘perfect machine,’ established a long time ago, a lot of pressure, not easy to ‘step’ into. ”

The main actor said that he also had to audition for nine months to be chosen, and had to "learn more" Vietnamese.

"In Australia, I speak English every day, so I'm not good at Vietnamese. Now playing this movie, I have to learn more Vietnamese because there are some parts that require dialogue in this language. I only know how to try my best," the genius Hoa Xuande added.

HBO’s “The Sympathizer” trailer in collaboration with Gold House, featuring A24, CAPE, and VAALA.

In addition to the above mentioned people, "The Sympathizer" also features actors Fred Nguyen Khan (played "Four"), Nguyen Duy (played "Man"), Le Toan (played "General"), and Sandra Oh (played "Ms. Sofia Mori"), Robert Downey Jr (played "CIA staff"), Vy Lê (played "Lana"), and Kayli Tran (played by "cockroach" communist spy"), and some other geniuses.

“The Sympathizer,” produced by writer Nguyen Thanh Viet and Mr. Don McKellar as chief production director, writer, and producer.

The film has three directors. Episodes 1, 2, and 3 by director Park Chan Wook (South Korea). Episode 4 by director Fernando Meirelles (Brazil), and episodes 5, 6, and 7 by director Marc Munden (UK). HBO is co-producing the film with A24, Team Downey, Rhombus Media, and Moho Films.

“The Sympathizer” will begin airing on HBO from 9 to 10 p.m. Sunday, April 14, and will also be streaming exclusively on Max, a pre-recorded viewing platform.

“The Sympathizer” ("Feeling Tinh Viên") by writer Nguyen Thanh Viet tells the story of a half-French, half-Vietnamese communist spy, who joins the southern Vietnamese army. The main character, who has not yet been named throughout the novel, is a man there are two souls, often torn between loyalty to country and personal beliefs. When the war ended, he was forced to flee to the United States, continuing to monitor the Vietnamese exile community.

Throughout the novel, the main character struggles with his identity, struggles to reconcile Vietnamese heritage with Western education and role as a communist spy.

As the protagonist adapted to life in the United States, he took part in the making of a Hollywood film, talking about the Vietnam War. He acted as a mentor to ensure the film depicts the conflict in accordance with communist's viewpoint. This further highlights the main character's struggle to survive in a world hostile to his beliefs and identity.

Gradually, the two-sided life of the main character is becoming more and more fragile. His allegiance to communist justice was tested when he was ordered to carry out brutal acts of treason against his friends. The consequences of this betrayal left him isolated and broken, questioning the morality of his actions as well as the legitimacy of his intentions.

Despite internal instabilities, the protagonist remains committed to fulfilling his mission, even as he becomes increasingly aware of the hypocritical and corrupt practices of the communist regime.

In the series finale of “Feeling Lover,” the main character has a chance to redeem himself by completing one last mission. Instead, he chose to challenge the upper hand, wholly accepted the role of an empath, and let go of the conflicts that have shaped his life.

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Photo: Writer Nguyen Thanh Viet at the presentation of the film "The Sympathizer" shot by Do Dzung by Vietnamese people

[Carl Robinson]

And here is TIME magazine's review of the HBO series on The Sympathiser.