Poster of the film Những Tháng Năm Rực Rỡ (Go-Go Sister). The comedy-drama by talented director Nguyen Quang Dung is now showing in cinemas. - Photo courtesy of the producer

Now showing is the film Những Tháng Năm Rực Rỡ (Go-Go Sister), one of the top five grossing Vietnamese films in 2018. The comedy-drama by director Nguyen Quang Dung earned VND84 billion (US$3.7 million) in ticket sales.   

The film, a Vietnamese version of the Korean blockbuster Sunny, features a group of urban women who used to be friends in their youth.

Movie stars Hong Anh and My Duyen, who were popular in the 1990s, star in the movie, as well as young fashion model Hoang Anh and singer Hoang Yen.

This time, Những Tháng Năm Rực Rỡ is in cinemas with English subtitles together with Hollywood productions such as Hobb & Shaw, Johnny English and The Invisible Man.

Others now showing include the Vietnamese film Nắng 3 - Lời Hứa Của Cha (Father’s Promise) by director Dang Giao.       

Tickets have been reduced by half their original price to VND40,000-50,000 ($2). 

Cinemas offer hand cleansing liquid and alcohol for audiences who are required to wear face masks and keep their distance from each other. 

“We will offer promotions to attract people to cinemas,” said a representative of BHD, one of the city’s private cinema owners and film distributors.

Delayed release

The release of a series of Vietnamese films has been delayed due to COVID-19.

Bí Mật Của Gió (Secrets of the Wind) and Sắc Đẹp Dối Trá (The Drama Queen) were planned to be released in February but no future date has been set yet.

The romantic comedy Bí Mật Của Gió is directed by award-winning director Nguyen Phan Quang Binh, while Sắc Đẹp Dối Trá, an action comedy, is by young talent Kay Nguyễn.  

Another film Trạng Tí (Child Master), about Vietnamese folk stories, has been postponed until later this year. The day of release has not been announced, according to the producer Studio 68.

Trạng Tí was scheduled to be released in cinemas in May. Its teaser trailer was released on YouTube in December and has attracted more than 400,000 views. Its distributor is CGV Vietnam.

The film features four children called Tí (Mouse), Sửu (Buffalo), Dần (Tiger) and Mẹo (Cat) who live in a remote village and use their intelligence to protect their villagers. 

Filming was shot in Ninh Binh Province, home to Trang An Scenic Landscape Complex, located 100km south of Hanoi.

Producer Ngo Thanh Van and her agency Studio68 spent US$1 million on the production.  

“I hope Trạng Tí will be a blockbuster and that it will be released as soon as the virus ends,” said Ngo Cam Van, a moviegoer who lives in Phu Nhuan District. VNS

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