The 100-minute comedy De Hoi Tinh (Hoi's Life) raked in VND60 billion (US$3 million) in ticket sales in just ten days beginning December 18.

HCM CITY (VNS) — Private film companies that invested large amounts of money into making comedies for Christmas and New Year holiday releases are laughing all the way to the bank.

The 100-minute comedy De Hoi Tinh (Hoi's Life) raked in VND60 billion (US$3 million) in ticket sales in just ten days beginning December 18.

Galaxy (Thien Ngan) Studio, one of the film's four producers, has announced that they are very hopeful the numbers will shoot up further.

Thien Ngan and its partners, CJ Entertainment, Chanh Phuong Film and Early Rise Media Group, reportedly invested big sums in hiring Vietnamese-American director Chairle Nguyen – a rising star in the industry, and hedged their bets further by having leading roles played by talented comedian Thai Hoa and model-actress Diem My.

The film is about Hoi, played by Hoa, a gay man who faces challenges in finding his true love.

Hoa left a very strong impression in his previous films, Long Ruoi (Mr Long, the Fly) and Teo Em (Teo's Younger Brother), both box-office hits last season.

Two other comedies that have earned handsome revenues are kung fu-comedy flick Long Ruoi, which earned more than VND42 billion ($2 million) in ticket sales in just a month after release, and Teo Em, which has raked in nearly VND80 billion (nearly $4 million).

Action flicks

Other holiday releases include The Vi Phim Studio's Toc Do Va Duong Cong (The Speed and the Dance), a Vietnamese version of Hollywood blockbuster Fast and Furious, featuring street racing scenes starring Quy Binh and Khuong Ngoc.

The film's up-and-coming director Phan Minh has used soundtracks by pop singer Trang Phap and her producer, composer Duong Khac Linh, both hot faces on music forums right now.

Entertainment group Wepro's psychological film Chang Trai Nam Ay (The Man in the Past) has used young pop star Son Tung MT-P and South Korean entertainer Hari Won to attract teenagers.

Its soundtrack is written and performed by Son Tung MT-P.

More than two million listeners downloaded his song just a day after the release.

"Son Tung MT-P is a new star in music. His fans are thirsty to see his performance in movie," said Huynh Thi Thuy Nga, a fan of the singer.

The Man in the Past's premiere last weekend in HCM City received warm respond from more than 400 guest audiences and local media.

Director Nguyen Quang Huy has said that young audiences watching the film will learn about courage, honour and responsibility.

The film hits the screens today.

The Speed and the Dance was released in cinemas a week before the New Year and has attracted a large number of viewers, theatres report.

The film attracted nearly 30,000 viewers a day at the Galaxy cinemas in HCM City alone, with figures nearly double during the weekend.

This holiday season, producers have screened their new films outside the major cities. They have collaborated with local cultural agencies to release their films in provinces like Dong Nai, Ba Ria-Vung Tau and Binh Duong. — VNS