A fresh take on one of Vietnam's most revered historical figures is heading to the screen. AIRO Media, Entertainment and Trading — a content company operating under KIDO Group — has invested in "Đất Đỏ" (Red Earth), a feature film about Võ Thị Sáu, the teenage revolutionary executed by the French in 1952 and later celebrated as a national heroine.
The film is timed to the 75th anniversary of her death in 2027 and marks her first return to cinema in over three decades, following 1990s titles like The Girl from Đất Đỏ. Director Lê Văn Kiệt — known for Hai Phượng (Furie) and international thriller The Princess — is taking an unusual angle: instead of a saint-like icon, Sáu appears as a spirited, headstrong 13-year-old who dreamed of a quiet life beside a lucuma tree before war pulled her into the Long Mỹ war zone and the Bà Rịa revolutionary base area. The story later follows her to the notorious prison on Côn Đảo island, including its infamous "tiger cages" and "cowshed" cells.
The investment comes at a strong moment for Vietnamese historical cinema. 2025 releases Địa Đạo (Tunnel) and Mưa Đỏ (Red Rain) drew big audiences, especially younger viewers, and AIRO says it plans further large-scale film projects to help preserve and promote the country's heritage. Producer Nguyễn Cao Tùng of 1-ALL STARS called the film a labour of love and said AIRO's backing strengthens both the production budget and distribution reach.
For travellers, the film is essentially a preview of two very real, very moving destinations. Đất Đỏ itself is a district in Bà Rịa–Vũng Tàu province, southeast of Ho Chi Minh City, home to sites tied to Sáu's life and the local resistance. And Côn Đảo — the island chain where she was imprisoned and executed — is now a laid-back archipelago reachable by flight from HCMC, where the former prison complex stands as a museum and her grave at Hàng Dương Cemetery draws a steady stream of Vietnamese pilgrims. Expect interest in both places to grow as the 2027 release approaches, so a visit before then means quieter temples, cemeteries and beaches.
