The Rebel (2007 Film)

The Rebel (Vietnamese: Dong Mau Anh Hung) is a 2007 Vietnamese action film directed by Charlie Nguyen. Set in the 1920s during the French colonial occupation of Vietnam, the narrative follows a Vietnamese secret agent tasked by the colonial government to infiltrate and suppress local resistance movements.

Promotional poster for the film The Rebel

Plot

The story centers on Le Van Cuong, an agent working for the French colonial authorities to track down leaders of the native rebellion. After witnessing the violence inflicted upon his own people, Cuong experiences a crisis of conscience. He eventually defects from his mission to assist Vo Thanh Thuy, the daughter of a rebel leader, leading him to become a fugitive from the colonial government.

Production and Release

The film was written by Johnny Nguyen, Charlie Nguyen, and Dominic Pereira, with Johnny Nguyen and Jimmy Pham serving as producers. It features a multilingual script in Vietnamese and French. The Rebel was released in Vietnam on April 27, 2007, and subsequently screened at several international events, including the 2008 Udine Far East Film Festival, the New York Asian Film Festival, and the Fantasia Film Festival.

Cast

Johnny Nguyen as Le Van Cuong
Thanh Van Ngo as Vo Thanh Thuy
Dustin Nguyen as Sy
Stephane Gauger as Derue
David Minetti as Tessier
Chanh Tin Nguyen as Cuong's Father
Thang Nguyen as Hua Danh