Top 10 Vietnamese Films that Triumphed on the International Stage

In early 2016, Ngoc Trinh and her film Waistline 56 created quite a stir in the audience community. The 'lingerie queen' surprised viewers as she both produced and starred in the project, depicting her own life.

At the Vietnamese Film Week in Australia (VFF), Ngoc Trinh introduced her 'brainchild' and unexpectedly received enthusiastic support from Vietnamese film fans there. Moreover, Ngoc Trinh surpassed Ninh Duong Lan Ngoc with the film Red Gloves, Diem My 9X with The Old Woman Has a Lot of Tricks, and won the Most Beloved Leading Actress award.

I See Yellow Flowers on Green Grass is a film adapted from the novel of the same name by writer Nguyen Nhat Anh. Upon its release, the film quickly became a box office sensation. Thanks to its stunning scenes of lush green grass in Vietnamese countryside, it evokes many childhood memories in viewers.

I See Yellow Flowers on Green Grass has received much praise from critics and grossed 80 billion VND. At the Toronto International Film Festival held in April 2016, the film excellently won the Best Narrative Feature award from the Young Jury. Most recently, the film was selected as Vietnam's representative for the 2017 Oscar preliminary round. The film was also broadcasted on VTV's Vietnamese Film Week on the VTV GO app.

This is perhaps the most discussed Vietnamese film before and after its release. Issues with CGV in the film's distribution ambiguously stirred up attention for Tam Cam: The Untold Tale. Just two months after its theatrical release, the film grossed nearly 70 billion in box office revenue. Additionally, the film surprised Vietnamese audiences by participating in the Busan International Film Festival – the most prestigious film festival in Asia.

Tam Cam: The Untold Tale was nominated for the A Window of Asia Cinema award – a category for new Asian cinematic works. Regarding the male lead in the film – singer Issac also had the honor of receiving the Rising Star award from the organizers of the Busan International Film Festival and Marie Claire magazine.

Sun Song is a Vietnamese-Japanese collaborative television series. The story revolves around Yen Phuong – a girl afflicted with a rare condition preventing her from exposure to sunlight. Despite her illness, she remains cheerful, optimistic, and nurtures a burning passion for music. The lead role of Yen Phuong is played by actress Nha Phuong, receiving much positive acclaim from both domestic and international critics.

In early September 2016, Nha Phuong along with Sun Song participated in the Seoul International Drama Awards 2016. Nha Phuong was honored to win the Asian Star award – an award that recognizes emerging talents through leading roles in films.

Fragrance of the Countryside tells the turbulent life story of Dieu. From a gentle girl, Dieu becomes a big sister in the underworld of North and South. Although it has been released for quite some time, the mark of Fragrance of the Countryside still lingers in the hearts of the audience.

The box office frenzy named Fragrance of the Countryside has brought many artists closer to the audience. Notable names include actress Truong Ngoc Anh, Kim Ly, Hieu Nguyen, Harry Luu... Recently, the film received the Best Vietnamese Film award at the San Francisco International New Concept Film Festival. This film festival aims to honor innovative, fresh film scripts and is open to filmmakers worldwide.

Renowned for being a skilled director in the Vietnamese film industry, Ly Hai has proven his prowess as a 'visionary' director by bringing Unmasked: Unexpected Guests to the international film market and reaping many rewards. The film blends humor to make viewers laugh and horror for spine-chilling moments.

With two awards in Korea for Favorite Film on Vietnamese Social Media at the WebTV Asia Awards and Best Director in Asia at the Korean Culture & Global Entertainment Awards, Unmasked: Unexpected Guests can entirely demonstrate that Vietnamese films can compete in the international market. Additionally, the film has been screened in major theaters in the United States and Australia.

Released shortly after the 2019 Lunar New Year season, yet Furie quickly set a record with revenue reaching 200 billion in the Vietnamese market. Directed and starring Ngô Thanh Vân, Furie is the first action film in Vietnam to collaborate with Hollywood crew and team.

Thanks to the talent and dedication of the lead actress Ngô Thanh Vân, the film quickly made a big splash in the Vietnamese film market and expanded to other markets such as the United States, Canada, and China. The film was also licensed and streamed on Netflix globally since 2019.

With the success of Furie, Vietnamese cinema is gradually gaining more confidence and motivation for other filmmakers to contribute to the further development of Vietnamese cinema.

Released in 2017, Father Carrying Son is a film that has achieved great success, receiving invitations to screen at many prestigious international film festivals. It tells the beautiful story of two fathers, Moc and Ca, on a journey to fulfill the dreams of their young son.

Three years after its release, the film continues to be distributed to many countries worldwide. To date, Father Carrying Son has been screened in over 10 countries including the United States, Italy, Uruguay, Spain, Canada, India, Estonia, Iran, Thailand, Laos, and the United Kingdom. Additionally, the film has won numerous prestigious awards: Best Asian Film at the 36th Fajr International Film Festival (Iran); Best Screenplay at the 20th Vietnam National Film Festival; Best Foreign Film at the 26th Arizona International Film Festival; notably, the film was selected as the representative of Vietnamese cinema to participate in the 90th Oscars.

The Old Father revolves around the livelihood of Mr. Ba Sang who works as a hired cargo transporter. His son - Quan (played by Tuấn Trần) - has a lifestyle that contrasts with his father's, often causing him concern. The film aims to convey the message: 'care for your loved ones over the smallest matters while you still can'.

Entering the top 10 highest-grossing films at the end of May 2021 in the United States with $350,000, The Old Father has affirmed the appeal of Vietnamese films despite being screened with limited showings and facing many difficulties due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Besides the US market, the film has also been released in other markets such as Singapore and Malaysia, and is soon to be released in Thailand.

In recent years, Vietnamese cinema has not only successfully captivated domestic audiences with blockbuster films but also confidently ventured into the international market with meticulously crafted works in both visuals and content, aiming to reach notoriously demanding markets. Among them is Shadow's Embrace, which was only released in Vietnam in May 2021.

As a horror film, Shadow's Embrace directed by Le Van Kiet has been eagerly sought after by the international market, with rights sold to 25 countries and territories including the United Arab Emirates, Australia, Bahrain, Egypt, Indonesia, Iraq, Iran, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Myanmar, New Zealand, Oman, the Philippines, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Singapore, Syria, Taiwan (China), Yemen... In 2021, Shadow's Embrace is expected to become a new source of pride for Vietnamese cinema on the international stage.