A scene in Song Lang (The Tap Box), a film on the 100-year history and development of cai luong (reformed opera), a genre of traditional theatre in the South (Photo courtesy of Vietnam Artist Agency)

Van shared that she won the Golden Tripod and Cinematographer of the Year awards.

Not long ago, her movie won the Special Jury Award at the Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival.

To date, “Song Lang” has been honoured with 20 cinema awards at home and abroad.

As planned, from now to July, the movie will join many other international awards such as the Tel Aviv International LGBT Film Festival, the LGBT Barcelona FIRE Film Festival, and the New York Asian Film Festival.

Song Lang highlights the 100-year history and development of cai luong (reformed opera), a traditional theatre genre in the South.

It features a group of cai luong artists in HCM City in the 1980s, focusing on the challenges they faced to preserve the art.

It also centres on the career of a young performer, Linh Phung, who makes sacrifices to pursue his dream.

Van invited Vietnamese-American Leon Le to direct her film. Le researched many documents and books on cai luong before filming.

The film stars pop singer and actor Issac, winner of the Rising Star of Asia’s Star Awards at the 21st Busan International Festival in 2016, and young actors Tu Quyen and Lien Binh Phat.

The artists spent time practicing how to sing and dance cai luong with experts.

Song Lang hit cinemas in August 2018. –VNA