VietNamNet Bridge – Private film companies will make history at the annual 2016 Golden Kite Awards competition organised by the Viet Nam Cinematography Association in HCM City on April 9.

A scene from the 2016 Golden Kite award nominee Tam Cam - Chuyen Chua Ke (Tam Cam - The Untold Story), a fantasy feature film by female director and producer Ngo Thanh Van of HCM City. (VNS Photo)

This marks the first time that private studios have dominated the category of feature films, leaving their competitors, State-owned companies, far behind.

All of the 19 feature films nominated for Golden Kite prizes were produced by private filmmakers.     

Many young fans expect female director and producer Ngo Thanh Van’s Tam Cam - Chuyen Chua Ke (Tam Cam - The Untold Story) and Cuong Ngo’s Truy Sat (Wanted) to win at the awards ceremony.

The VND20 billion (US$900,000) fantasy movie Tam Cam - Chuyen Chua Ke, starring young actress Ninh Duong Lan Ngoc, winner of the 2011 Golden Lotus Awards, was made with the general public in mind and juried experts.

The film’s visual and sound effects are expected to make it a strong contender for awards. 

Based on Tam Cam, a fairy tale known as the Vietnamese version of Cinderella, the film is about the life of an orphan girl named Tam, who is beautiful, hard working, and kind to people and animals.  

Director Van, who has more than 11 years working in the industry, said she and her staff worked hard to film the action scenes.

Before being submitted for a Golden Kite, Tam Cam - Chuyen Chua Ke earned around VND70 billion ($3.1 million) in ticket sales.  

Truy Sat, a crime production directed by Vietnamese-Canadian Cuong, who graduated from York University in Toronto in film production and directing.

The film was a hit with audiences last year.

It features the life of an inspector, played by Truong Ngoc Anh, who works underground in a drug trafficking group.

“In Truy Sat, I tried my best to portray a woman who faces challenges to balance her family and career,” said the 40-year-old Anh.    

Anh is one of the nominees for the best actress award.

Other featured films include Do Duc Thinh’s Su Menh Trai Tim, Dinh Tuan Vu’s Cho Em Den Ngay Mai (Waiting for You Until Tomorrow), Ly Minh Thang’s Sai Gon Anh Yeu Em (Sai Gon, I Love You) and Luong Dinh Dung’s Cha Cong Con (Father and Son).

Critics are hoping for a win for independent director Dung’s 90-minute film Cha Cong Con, a work about the story of a boy named Ca who has always dreamed of touching the clouds and of a father who has spent his life fishing by the river. 

The film stars Do Trong Tan from the SOS Children’s Village Viet Tri as Ca.

The 13 remaining films for the Golden Kite award all revolve around the themes of love and social conflict. 

The 2016 Golden Kite ceremony will present awards in six categories: feature and short films, cartoons, scientific films, documentaries, TV series and cinematography research. 

The organiser received 120 entries for the competition’s categories, including best film, best director, best actor and best actress.  

A week of free screenings will begin on April 3 at Cinebox, Cinestar Quoc Thanh, CGV Thao Dien and BHD cinemas.  

The ceremony will take place on April 9 at HCM City’s Army Theatre on Cong Hoa Street in Tan Binh District. 

Thu Anh

VNS