Boundaries

The documentary shows the fragile boundary between life and death, the extraordinary efforts of the medical staff in the fight against the Coronavirus to save the lives of infected pregnant women. It was filmed at Hung Vuong Hospital in Ho Chi Minh City in August 2020. With the consent of the characters, the film crew decided to choose an approach for the documentary in a way that respected the truth and put the interests of society above individual freedom. Therefore, the documentary did not blur the faces of the patients. After being broadcast, the film created a ‘seismic’ on social media. On VTV’s YouTube, the film received over 2.5 M. views. Most of the audience reactions were positive. But there was also criticism about the right to personal information, the right to be forgotten. When can journalism cross the line of private life? When do individual rights come after public interest? How does the social context affect the decision to choose a direction for a work? In reporting on the pandemic, are journalists ‘fire starters’ who evoke new conflicts, or are they ‘firefighters’ who calm the turmoil in society? The documentary became hot news in Vietnamese media. It is believed to have contributed to the overall success of the fight against the pandemic. At the22nd Vietnam Film Festival, it won The Golden Lotus Award.