Thu Anh

HCM CTY— Private film companies in HCM City sunk large amounts of money into movies for release during the Tet (Lunar New Year) holiday with high ticket sales, while theatres saw less crowds.

Producer Nhat Trung’s Cua Lai Vo Bau (Love Again) raked in more than VND108.9 billion (US$4.7 million) in ticket sales in three weeks beginning late last month. Nearly 1.3 million tickets were sold.

The film was among three top hits, including Vietnamese comedy Trang Quynh (Dr Quynh) and DreamWorks animation How To Train Your Dragon - The Hidden World, which earned the most profits this season.

While Trang Quynh earned nearly VND70 billion ($3 million) in just 10 days after release, while sales for How To Train Your Dragon - The Hidden World were VND65 billion ($2.8 million). 

The three films are still in cinemas so the numbers will shoot up further.

Both Vietnamese productions, Cua Lai Vo Bau and Trang Quynh, feature themes about love using comedy and exciting action.

Famous movie stars and comic artists, such as 2015 Golden Kite Best Actress winner Ninh Duong Lan Ngoc, Tran Thanh and Nha Phuong, play roles in the film.   

Young film director Toan Joshua’s full-length comedy Tao Quay is based on traditional tales.

It tells the story of Ong Tao (Kitchen God), who leaves for heaven to report about the family to the God of Heaven on the 23rd of the last lunar month. He returns to the kitchen on the 30th.  

Veteran actors Le Binh and Trung Dan play the leading roles.

The film’s producer has not announced the number of ticket sales, but they are hoping for a good profit.

Films are not the only choice for Vietnamese this Tet. Saigonese also love theatre.

Leading theatres and drama troupes offered 24 new plays during the year’s biggest season. However, they saw less crowds compared to last Tet.

People’s Artist Hong Van of the Phu Nhuan Drama Troupe said that her theatre would end the performances of its two comedies after this weekend because “the number of audiences huge dropped during Tet.”

“We didn’t earn enough to keep our schedules through this month.” 

Van’s theatre has introduced three new plays, Tat Den La Chay (Run Out), Con Me Cuoi Cung (The Last Dream) and Cung Tam Ke (Game of Throne), starring young actors from the HCM City University of Theatre and Cinematography.

The plays focus on messages about love. 

“We offered comedies, instead of serious productions, during the Tet holiday because audiences want to be entertained after a year of hard work," said Van, the theatre’s owner and art director, who spent VND2 billion (US$87,000) on productions.

“We earned good profits during the previous Tet. It was not repeated this year. The taste of people changed,” she said.  

"We will continue to offer shows in the upcoming weeks as we had originally planned," said a representative of Hoang Thai Thanh Drama Troupe.  

The theatre decided to restage Nua Doi Ngo Ngac (Life), one of its most favourite works, portraying the changes in traditional values related and suffered to young farmers, particularly women.

The play’s new version is directed by Ai Nhu, the theatre’s co-founder and art director, who has more than 20 years in the industry.  

The leading characters are played by veteran actresses Meritorious Artist Tuyet Thu, Hanh Thuy, Hong Anh and Nhu. 

Nua Doi Ngo Ngac debuted in 2010 and has staged more than 150 shows.

“The new version of Nua Doi Ngo Ngac meets the taste of young audiences,” said Nhu.

Nhu predicts that her play will continue to draw audiences to the theatre until Women’s Day on March 8.—VNS