Betting with Ghost (Làm giàu với ma), a Vietnamese film featuring People’s Artist Hoai Linh, has drawn significant attention at Jakarta Film Week, Indonesia’s international film festival.

After two months in theaters and a box office total of 128 billion VND, Betting with Ghost was selected to represent Vietnam and officially screen in the Global Features category at the 2024 Jakarta International Film Festival.

Due to scheduling conflicts, the main cast members were absent from the event, with director Trung Lun attending on behalf of the production team. Actors Tuan Tran and Diep Bao Ngoc recorded videos to congratulate the film and send greetings to Indonesian audiences.

Speaking with VietNamNet, Trung Lun expressed pride in his film’s warm reception in Indonesia. He was pleasantly surprised by the local audience's emotional reactions, with many viewers moved to tears.

During a Q&A session, Trung Lun shared that he was inspired to make the film because of a family member's battle with cancer. Concerned that a family-focused storyline might feel repetitive, he chose a humorous, relatable approach with a touch of the supernatural.

Throughout the festival, Trung Lun connected with international judges and filmmakers, including screenwriter Eric Roux, film critic Patrick F. Campos, and curator June Kim.

He was moved by the presence of Vietnamese Ambassador Ta Van Thong and several Vietnamese expatriates who attended the screening to show support. They were thrilled to see Betting with Ghost as the first Vietnamese film directly distributed in Indonesia by a Vietnamese company.

The Vietnamese Ambassador to Indonesia praised the film’s emotional impact on viewers.

Betting with Ghost will premiere in Indonesian theaters on November 13 and will also be released in 11 other countries and territories, including Australia, New Zealand, Taiwan (China), Thailand, the United States, and the Philippines.

The Jakarta Film Week, first launched by Jakarta’s Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy in 2021, aims to support and revive Indonesia’s film industry in the post-COVID-19 era.

Gia Bao