Fighting force: Vovinam, a unique Vietnamese martial arts form, will be featured in a Hollywood action film to be shot by the end of this year. — VNA/VNS Photo Tran Thi Thu HIen

HA NOI  (VNS) — Vovinam, a unique Vietnamese martial arts form, is going to be featured in a Hollywood action film that will be shot by the end of this year.

Entitled Fight For Life, the film is a joint production of Oknha Rat Sokhorn, a Cambodian royal official, and Hollywood film director Ace Cruz.

The film project has finished casting the actors, including renowned action actor Michael Madsen and former heavyweight boxer Evander Holyfield.

Fight For Life is the story of a Cambodian boy, who had an unfortunate childhood, and earns fame in Vovinam later.

"The hidden message of the film is that one should help others to become better human beings. It's the philosophy of the vovinam spirit," Director Cruz said.

He said the film was likely to cost about US$2million to $10 million. It will be shot in Cambodia, Viet Nam, Thailand and the Philippines, as well as the United States.

Rat Sokhorn said his film studio and Cruz would collaborate on another fairytale film for children entitled Snowhite and 12 Elves to popularise Vovinam worldwide. The film will be produced in both Cambodia and Viet Nam.

Rat Sokhorn was born in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. He has a Cambodian father and Vietnamese mother.

During his 10 years in Viet Nam, he was taught Vovinam by martial arts instructor Nguyen Van Chieu.

He was conferred an earldom by the Cambodian royal family in 2004, for his contribution to the nation.

Rat Sokhorn is currently working as a consultant on economic and investment to the Cambodian National Assembly Chairman. He is also the president of the Cambodian Vovinam Federation and the vice-president of the World Vovinam Federation.

Director Ace Cruz has produced six Hollywood films as script writer, producer, director and actor. He won the Best Picture Award at the Action International Film Festival in Hollywood, California, in 2009, for his film Outrage. — VNS