While 2012 was not necessarily a groundbreaking year for Vietnamese cinema, it was, for the very first time, one of economic consistency. At least one Vietnamese film was released commercially in theatres nationwide every month throughout the entire year. More and more new cinema multiplexes have opened, stocked with new technology such as digital 3-D, ATMOS, and 48fps. The gross numbers at the box office are rising exponentially. But none of these Vietnamese films have made a significant impression at international film festivals.
Similar to Hollywood’s early studio system, where the studios both distributed and exhibited movies, most Vietnamese studios are making, distributing and exhibiting both local and foreign films. Among them are Galaxy Cinema, a local company that has produced most of the local blockbusters, as well as distributing 20th Century, Sony and Warner Bros’ blockbusters; Megastar Media, a joint venture between Phuong Nam Corporation and Envoy Media, who came to Vietnam in 2005 and become the biggest distributor and exhibitor in Vietnam; and BHD, a local company that exports most of Vietnamese films to the international market and imports many small and indie foreign films.
In 2010 to 2011, Megastar took over some of Galaxy’s accounts when they did a deal with 20th Century Fox to release James Cameron’s Avatar in Vietnam, and convinced Warner Bros to return to Vietnam after the studio had stopped showing their blockbusters there. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part II was then released in Vietnam six months later, after Megastar got Warner Bros’ account in 2012. Since then, Megastar has distributed 80 per cent of the imported movies in Vietnam. This can be seen as a major improvement, as in 2005 most Hollywood films were released in Vietnam three to six months after their US releases. In 2011, Megastar sold 80 per cent of its share to Korea’s CJ Entertainment, and has since then been importing Korean films. Their multiplex cinema chain has the most screens. By the end of 2012, Megastar owned 10 multiplexes, totaling approximately 78 screens, with the country’s total screen count at 220.
In 2012, other distributors brought more diversity to the film market, releasing not just Hollywood blockbusters but also American indie films, Bollywood, Chinese, Korean, and French films. There were about 120 films released in Vietnam in 2012 (compare to 106 films in 2011), with two to three new movies coming out every week. The box office gross is getting bigger every year – in 2012, the total number was approximately US$47.8 million (including local films) – compared to US$39 million in 2011 and US$13.8 million in 2009.
Every year since 2003, after the surprise big hit of Gái Nhảy (Bar Girls, directed by Le Hoang), which brought Vietnamese audiences back to theatres to watch local films, Vietnamese cinemas have always started big with the Lunar New Year (or “Tet” in Vietnamese) season. Since these holidays can last for a whole month and people have few choices of entertainment, they usually go to the cinema to relax. These local films are mostly comedies since audiences believe that being happy and cheerful in first days of the year will bring them good luck. But they also have to compete with Hollywood releases.
This is the only time of the year that local films are guaranteed to beat foreign films at the box office.
Twelve out of 23 local films released from January 2012 to February 2013 were comedies. There are two main reasons that comedies are a big favourite for Vietnamese filmmakers: box office and censorship.
Early 2012, during Tet season, Hello Co Ba (Hello Auntie Ba) – a slapstick comedy produced by veteran Phuoc Sang Entertainment and starring Hoai Linh – a comedian that is the king of the box office – conquered the box office. So did Thien Menh Anh Hung (Blood Letter) – a blockbuster period martial arts film produced by new comer Phuong Nam Film.
With an extremely low budget, around 4 billion VND (US$190,000), and total box office numbers around 30 billion VND (US$1.4 million), Hello Co Ba became the most profitable film to date even though the movie got all negative reviews from critics and the online community. Meanwhile, the highly praised action film inspired from an actual historical event, Thien Menh Anh Hung, which was produced for 27 billion VND (US$1.3 million), earned a mere 22 billion VND (US$1.05 million) at the box office, and was therefore considered a bomb.
The top eight out of 10 local box-office hits of the last year, and early 2013, are comedies. These include Long Ruồi (Big Boss, a gangster comedy directed by Charlie Nguyễn) with 42 billion VND (approx. US$2 million), Để Mai Tính (Fool for Love, a romantic comedy directed by Charlie Nguyễn), Cô Dâu Đại Chiến (Battle of the Brides, a romantic comedy directed by Victor Vũ), Những nụ hôn rực rỡ (Bright Kisses, a comedy musical directed by Nguyễn Quang Dũng). Then there are other films, such as Dòng máu Anh Hùng (The Rebel, an action film directed by Charlie Nguyễn), and the latest box office record Mỹ Nhân Kế 3-D (The Lady Assassin 3-D, a martial arts period movie about a group of female assassins who train a new girl to assassinate an evil general). The Lady Assassin 3-D earned 54 billion VND (US$27 million), and became the biggest local box office hit of all time, and the second international box office hit of all time. But its admissions fell behind Nha co nam co tien (A Family Has Five Fairies), a comedy that starred Hoai Linh (The Lady Assassin 3-D ticket’s price is higher because of the 3D). Also, A Family Has Five Fairies’ budget was approximately six billion VND and earned 32 billion, compared to The Lady Assassin 3-D’s approximate 22 billion VND budget.
The issue of censorship is another reason that prevents studios from producing other film genres.
Although there is an age rating system in place, the censorship board still requires the filmmakers to cut sensitive scenes, even after give them a rating of “no audiences under 16 allowed”. These rules are also applied to foreign films. Sex, violence and anything that can be seen as against communism are not allowed. In 2011, The Hunger Games was banned. Early 2012, a local film about a group of teenagers who took a trip to the central highlands and were murdered by a mysterious killer was banned because the censorship board thought the movie was not only too violent, but also didn’t reach a high enough level of artistry. Because of strict censorship rules, many local filmmakers don’t want to take a risk by making films outside of romantic comedies. They are not allowed to make their action films too violent or their horror films too scary. So what can they do? The newest “victim” is Charlie Nguyen’s Bui Doi Cho Lon (about to be released in April), an action film about two gangs fighting to take over Cho Lon (Saigon’s Chinatown). The film is currently having problems because the censorship board asked them to cut most of the bloody fight scenes, which compromises the quality of storytelling.
But these rules are slowly changing, starting with international releases such as Django Unchained which was not censored when was released in Vietnam - all the bloody scenes and male nudity remain in the movie.
Since 2004, several Vietnamese art-house films have made significant impressions at international film festivals. Films like Nguyen Vo Nghiem Minh’s Buffalo Boy, Doan Minh Phuong’s Bride of Silence, Bui Thac Chuyen’s Adrift and Phan Dang Di’s Bi, Don’t be Afraid. There was a time when digital filmmaking bloomed in Asia, and many people around the world expected an influx of indie films coming out of Vietnam. But nothing really happened here. Most filmmakers want to play safe, and young filmmakers are either stuck with financial issues or censorship issues or they continue work in the television industry, which is a lure for talent.
In 2012, there are three films that can be considered truly “indie” films: Dành cho tháng sáu (Waiting for June), a coming of out age film that was shot entirely on the Canon 5D, directed by Nguyen Huu Tuan; Lay Chong Nguoi Ta (In the Name of Love), a drama thriller directed by Luu Huynh, which was screened at Toronto Film Festival 2012; and Ngoc Vien Dong (Pearls of the Far East), a series of short films combined into a feature length movie, directed by Cuong Ngo.
But with the box office numbers for local films increasing every year, especially with The Lady Assassin 3-D hitting a new record in early 2013, people are predicting that 2013 will be a big year for Vietnamese cinema. Two films are expected to crossover to the international market: Charlie Nguyen’s action flick Bui Doi Cho Lon and Dustin Nguyen’s fantasy action epic Monk on Fire. Phan Dang Di, who won the Cannes Critic Week’s SACD Award for Best Feature, will shoot his second feature, Big Father, Small Father in 2013. Bui Thac Chuyen, who won Venice’s FIPRESCI Prize with Adrift in 2009, is prepping his fourth feature, Ha Noi Seven Loves. Also notable is an online short film festival, YxineFF, which is entering its fourth season. It has an ambitious plan to support young filmmakers making their first feature films by getting help and support from industry people, including Phan Dang Di, Charlie Nguyễn and Tran Anh Hung.
Phan Xi Nê