Premiere of documentary "Kim Toan, journalist - soldier"

The documentary “Kim Toan, journalist - soldier” recounts the true life and contributions of journalist Kim Toan - former reporter for Giai Phong Newspaper, who directly participated in the resistance war against the US and left many unique marks.

On the occasion of the 100th anniversary of Vietnam Revolutionary Press Day (June 21, 1925 - June 21, 2025), on June 15, in Hanoi , the Vietnam Press Museum organized a film premiere, thematic exhibition and discussion "Kim Toan, journalist - soldier".

Many generations of journalists attended the ceremony. Photo: CL

Journalist Kim Toan, full name Nguyen Kim Toan, was born on November 29, 1940 in Ngoc Tinh village, in the former Co Trai commune, now Tan Trao commune, Kien Thuy district, Hai Phong city.

Entering journalism in 1960, he worked as a reporter, photographer, illustrator, and layout artist for Kien An newspaper. In 1965, from Hai Phong newspaper, journalist Kim Toan volunteered to go to the South, and spent nearly 10 years as a reporter for Giai Phong newspaper, the mouthpiece of the National Liberation Front of South Vietnam - the largest revolutionary newspaper in the Southern battlefield at that time.

With the pen name Cao Kim, he was one of the main writers of Giai Phong Newspaper. He also contributed to the establishment of the Journalism School of the Press Subcommittee, the Propaganda Department of the Central Office for Southern Vietnam and opened on-site crash journalism training classes for a number of localities and units of the Liberation Army.

Journalist Kim Toan shared at the ceremony. Photo: Q.Anh

Along with being a journalist, he was also a soldier who directly fought in the Saigon - Gia Dinh armed propaganda force and achieved victory in the General Offensive and Uprising in the Spring of Mau Than 1968. He was considered to have sacrificed his life and had a memorial service held, but miraculously survived and returned, continuing to write and fight until the day of total victory.

During the period of national reunification and renovation, he continued to contribute tirelessly to revolutionary journalism as Editor-in-Chief of Hai Phong Newspaper, Chairman of Hai Phong Journalists Association, and Standing Member of the Vietnam Journalists Association .

Speaking at the ceremony, journalist Le Quoc Minh, member of the Party Central Committee, Editor-in-Chief of Nhan Dan Newspaper, Chairman of the Vietnam Journalists Association, affirmed that journalist Kim Toan's journey as a journalist is a wordless heroic epic, not only of one person, but of a whole generation of journalists who lived, wrote and fought for the ideal of national independence, national unification and innovation to build an increasingly prosperous and beautiful homeland and country.

Journalist Le Quoc Minh, member of the Party Central Committee, Editor-in-Chief of Nhan Dan Newspaper, Chairman of the Vietnam Journalists Association, spoke at the ceremony. Photo: CL

According to journalist Le Quoc Minh, introducing the documentary about journalist Kim Toan is both an activity to honor the tireless contributions of journalist Kim Toan and an opportunity to look back at the bloody, fiery and glorious history of Vietnam's revolutionary press. This is also an opportunity for the current and future generations of journalists to be inspired, have will and professional responsibility, and to keep the revolutionary flame in the hearts of writers.

The film “Kim Toan, journalist - soldier” is a project of the Vietnam Journalists Association assigned to the Vietnam Press Museum to produce. Journalists Tran Kim Hoa and Bui Thuy Vinh are responsible for the content of the film; writer and journalist Nguyen Si Dai is the scriptwriter and director.

Journalist Kim Toan and members of the film crew. Photo: N.Hoa

The film truthfully recounts the life and contributions of journalist Kim Toan during the war as well as during the renovation period. The film does not aim to honor an individual but to recreate a part of the nation's history; to acknowledge the contributions of previous generations of journalists; to highlight examples of revolutionary journalists who sacrificed their lives for the country, as well as characters in journalist Kim Toan's journalistic and literary works. The film hopes to contribute to helping the younger generation better understand the heroic past of their fathers and brothers, their experience in journalism and preserving human dignity in extremely difficult, complicated and dangerous circumstances.

Journalist Kim Toan donated some mementos from his journalistic career to the Vietnam Press Museum. Photo: Q.Anh

At the ceremony, journalist Kim Toan expressed his honor to dedicate his life to journalism, contributing to the Vietnamese revolutionary press in the proud flow of 100 years. Regarding journalism, in journalist Kim Toan's opinion, journalism is a noble profession. Committing to journalism means committing to all aspects of social life, accepting all difficulties and hardships, often facing temptations and dangers.

At the ceremony, generations of journalists who worked with journalist Kim Toan shared many touching and meaningful memories about him, and expressed their respect for his contributions to revolutionary journalism.

Source: https://hanoimoi.vn/ra-mat-bo-phim-tai-lieu-kim-toan-nha-bao-chien-si-705665.html