Viet Nam News
HCM CITY — Vietnamese-American director Victor Vu is working on his latest film on love, Mat Biec (Blue Eyes), together with his staff in HCM City.
The casting began last week. Young men and women aged between 16 and 22 years old are encouraged to attend.
Mat Biec tells the love story of Ngan, a rural boy from Quang Nam Province, and his childhood friend, Ha Lan, during their school years.
When Lan turns to love a rich man but is betrayed, Ngan still stands beside Lan.
The film is based on a novel of the same name written by bestselling children’s author Nguyen Nhat Anh.
The book Mat Biec was published in 1990 and became a bestseller. It has been reprinted several times by the Tre (Youth) Publishing House.
Director Vu is interested in filming Anh’s works.
His first work based on Anh’s book was Toi Thay Hoa Vang Tren Co Xanh (Yellow Flowers on Green Grass), winner of the Golden Lotus Award for Best Feature Film and Best Director at the biennial 19th Viet Nam Film Festival in 2015.
The prizes were presented by the cultural ministry’s Department of Cinematography.
The film also won the Best Film Award at the Silk Road International Film Festival in Fujian Province, China.
It was distributed abroad by Fortissimo Films Hong Kong.
In Viet Nam, the film earned around VND80 billion (US$3.59 million) in ticket sales.
Vu is a graduate of Loyola Marymount University in the US. His first film in Viet Nam, Chuyen Tinh Xa Xu (Passport to Love), was distributed in Viet Nam and the US in 2008.
The romantic comedy was named Favourite Film at the 2008 Golden Kite Award given by the Viet Nam Cinematography Association.
In 2012, his third film, Thien Menh Anh Hung (Blood Letter), a kung fu production, won the Jury Prize at the International Film Festival in Ha Noi.
One year later, his Bi Mat Tham Do (Scandal), a work about the dark side of show business, received the Golden Kite Prize for Best Director.
Both films were box office records.
In 2014, his horror film Qua Tim Mau (Vengeful Heart) starring famous comedian Thai Hoa earned more than VND24 billion (US$1.1 million) in just three days after its release.
His latest film, Nguoi Bat Tu (The Immortal), was released last week.
The thriller includes scenes featuring beautiful landscapes in Ha Noi, and Ha Nam, Hung Yen, Quang Binh, Tien Giang and Dong Nai provinces.
It stars Quach Ngoc Ngoan of HCM City and Bui Bai Binh of Ha Noi.
The film is expected to break box-office records.
“I learned a lot about Viet Nam’s history, traditional culture and lifestyle,” said Vu, adding that he expects to have a future in Viet Nam.
His film Mat Biec is produced by Galaxy Studio, the country’s leading private film company.
It will be completed late next year. — VNS