Vietnamese films compete at Mai Vàng Awards 

LOVE STORY-- A scene from Ngày Xưa Có Một Chuyện Tình (Love Upon A Time), a romance directed by Trịnh Đình Lê Minh. The film is nominated for the Best Motion Picture at 2024 Mai Vàng Awards by the newspaper Người Lao Động (The Labourer). Photo courtesy of HK Film.

Thu Anh 

HCM CITY — Five movies are competing for the Best Motion Picture at the 2024 Mai Vàng (Golden Apricot) Awards presented annually by the HCM City-based Người Lao Động (The Labourer) newspaper.

The works are made by talented directors from State-owned and private studios, and were the year’s highest-grossing movies.

Ngày Xưa Có Một Chuyện Tình (Love Upon A Time)is a production by director Trịnh Đình Lê Minh from the private HK Film in co-operation with its partners.

It earned VNĐ26 billion (US$1.02 million) in ticket sales in its first five days beginning on November 1, reported Box Office Vietnam.

The movie is based on the famous novel of the same name by Nguyễn Nhật Ánh, winner of the Southeast Asian Writers Award presented by the Thai royal family in 2010.

It tells a love story. Southern culture and lifestyle in the 1980s-90s are also featured through the life of the main characters.

Young artists Ngọc Xuân, Avin Lu and Đỗ Nhật Hoàng perform lead roles.

“We invested both money and human resources in our film to meet the demands of young moviegoers,” said director Trịnh Đình Lê Minh.

Đào, Phở và Piano (Peach Blossom, Phở and Piano) by Phi Tiến Sơn is a strong contender for the award.

The war drama features a love story of a young couple on the last day, February 17, 1947, of the 60-day-and-night battle to defend the capital city of Hà Nội from the French reoccupation.

The State-owned producer, Film 1 Joint Stock Company, spent a lot to construct a 100-metre-long town in the old military barracks at Phúc Yên District, Vĩnh Phúc Province as the setting for the film.

Director Sơn used Trần Lực, a celebrated film actor and director with numerous well-known roles and cinematic work, and young artists Doãn Quốc Đam and Thuỳ Linh as lead characters.

“Đào, Phở và Piano features a romantic and heroic theme. The film highlights the culture and lifestyle of Hà Nội. It entertained young audiences,” said 21-year-old student Trần Trung Dũng of Vĩnh Phúc Province.

Đào, Phở và Piano won the Silver Lotus Award at the 23rd Việt Nam Film Festival held in Đà Lạt last year.

The film earned more than VNĐ16 billion ($640,000) in ticket sales after five weeks started in February 20, becoming the first blockbuster produced by a State-owned studio in the last ten years.

BLOCKBUSTER ON WOMEN-- The poster for Mai, a film on women and family issues by blockbuster director Trấn Thành of HCM City. Photo courtesy of Trấn Thành Town.

Other movies include Mai, Lật Mặt 7- Một Điều Ước (Face Off 7: One Wish), and Làm Giàu Với Ma (The Ghost).

The highlighted film Mai by famous comic actor and director Trấn Thành was honoured as the Best Feature Film at the 2024 Golden Kite Awards in September.

It features Mai, a massage therapist, who faces challenges to earn a living in HCM City. She meets and falls in love with a rich young man.

Southern culture and lifestyle are highlighted.

The film was released in February and became the highest grossing Vietnamese film of all time after earning VNĐ520 billion ($20.9 million) at the local box office.

It was in 200 cinemas in the US, Canada, the UK, Germany, the Czech Republic and Slovakia.

The two comedies, Lật Mặt 7- Một Điều Ước and Làm Giàu Với Ma, feature social issues and traditional values.

The prize presenting ceremony of the 2024 Mai Vàng Awards is scheduled to take place on January 8.

Millions of people across the country voted for the winners of fashion, theatre, movies, TV programmes via the website nld.com.vn and maivang.nld.com.vn.

“The Mai Vàng Awards were first organised in 1995 and have become popular among millions of people and readers of the newspaper Người Lao Động, including farmers, workers and students,” Tô Đình Tuân, editor-in-chief of Người Lao Động and head of the 2024 Mai Vàng Awards’ organising board, said. “We wanted to honour and encourage artists in different fields of the arts develop their careers.” –VNS