Main characters in "Ngày Xưa Có Một Chuyện Tình" (Once upon a time there was a love story) movie. Photo courtesy of HKFILM

With revenue of nearly VNĐ94 billion (US$3.8 million) as of January 21, the low-budget horror film Quỷ Cẩu (Demon Dog), directed by the young director Lưu Thành Luân, is considered a surprising success.

This achievement helped Vietnamese cinema's box office in 2023 exceeded VNĐ1.6 trillion ($65 million) while the total Vietnamese box office revenue in 2023, including foreign films, reached over VNĐ3.7 trillion.

In the past 10 years, Vietnamese film revenue accounted for only about 18 to 33 per cent of total box office revenue.

To surpass 42 per cent of the total box office revenue last year, it is worth mentioning the significant contribution of films released during the Tết holiday and on April 30.

Some notable examples include Nhà Bà Nữ (The House of No Man) with over VNĐ475 billion ($19.3 million), Lật Mặt 6: Tấm Vé Định Mệnh (Face Off 6: The Ticket of Destiny) with VNĐ272 billion ($11 million), and Siêu Lừa Gặp Siêu Lầy (Hustler vs Scammer) with VNĐ121 billion ($4.9 million), among others.

Additionally, films released in the fourth quarter, such as Đất Rừng Phương Nam (Song of the South) with VNĐ140.1 billion ($5.7 million), Người Vợ Cuối Cùng (The Last Wife) with VNĐ97.3 billion ($3.9 million) and Kẻ Ăn Hồn (The Soul Reaper) with VNĐ67 billion ($2.7 million), also contributed significantly.

Around 25 Vietnamese films were released in 2023, and right from the beginning of 2024, producers and distributors have announced a series of films ready to be screened, including many films with large investments in budget, renowned directors, and a cast of star actors.

Highly anticipated films include four Tết films that will be released from February 10 - Mai  by Trấn Thành, Gặp Lại Chị Bầu (Meet My Pregnant Sister Again) by Nhất Trung, Sáng Đèn (Bright Lights) by Hoàng Tuấn Cường and Trà by Lê Hoàng.

Vietnamese cinemas will also screen the film B4S - Trước Giờ Yêu, (B4S – Before “Love” Time) a 18+ film for adults, produced by Phan Gia Nhật Linh's film company, directed by Tùng Leo, Michael Thái, and Huỳnh Anh Duy on April 12.

The film promises to bring fresh colour to Vietnamese cinema with a multi-threaded film style like foreign films Love Actually and New York I Love You through the performances of young talents Jun Vũ, Khánh Vân, Khazsak, Tôn Kinh Lâm, Tùng, Việt Hưng and Vinh Râu, among others.

"B4S - Trước Giờ Yêu carries a positive message to convey to the young generation about the importance of trust and understanding in a romantic relationship,” director Tùng Leo said.

Popular director Lý Hai has set the release date of Lật Mặt 7: Một Điều Ước (Face Off 7: One Wish) for April 30, hoping to continue breaking box office records like his previous films.

The story revolves around a mother and her children, conveying a message of healing.

The film was shot in HCM City, Lâm Đồng, Ninh Thuận and Hà Nội and features actors such as Quách Ngọc Tuyên, Thanh Thức, Đinh Y Nhung, Tiết Cương, Trương Minh Cường, Thanh Hiền and Mạnh Dung.

“I chose the romantic, family genre because I don't want to limit myself to the action genre that I'm used to," director Lý Hải said.

Another notable work is the film adaptation of Nguyễn Nhật Ánh’s novel Ngày Xưa Có Một Chuyện Tình, (Once Upon a Time There was a Love Story) directed by Trịnh Đình Lê Minh with the participation of actors and actress Avin Lu, Đỗ Nhật Hoàng, and Ngọc Xuân.

The film revolves around the story of friendship and love between two boys and a girl from childhood in a remote province in the central region, who must face adulthood and the challenges of fate.

Looking at the success of box office revenue from Nguyễn Nhật Ánh's novel adaptations, it can be expected that Ngày Xưa Có Một Chuyện Tình will attract audiences if the film is well-made and of good quality.

That being said, many local viewers told Thanh Niên (Young People) newspaper they are hesitant to watch upcoming Vietnamese Tết films as the actual quality is still unknown beyond the buzz from the media.

Currently, in terms of the number of screenings scheduled at theatres, according to the statistics of Box Office Việt Nam, Vietnamese films will be popular with audiences.

Although there will be more Vietnamese films released in 2024, there are still many concerns because looking back at 2023, the film quality was still uneven, leading to a large gap between films with high and low revenue.

"The most important thing is to have good films to achieve new milestones for Vietnamese cinema," producer Nguyễn Khoa said. VNS