Romance: Pop star Ho Ngoc Ha (left) in a scene of Hy Sinh Doi Trai, a love triangle film by Vietnamese-American director Luu Huynh, which will be released on National Day. — VNS Photo

HCM CITY (VNS) — Three new films on women and love are being released this month by private producers in HCM City.

Nguyen Quoc Duy's Kung Fu Pho (Kung fu Vietnamese Noodle Soup) left a very strong impression on audiences after its premiere last weekend.

Produced by Skyline Media, the comedy tells the story of a pho female seller, Co Co (played by My Duyen) and her family.

Co Co works hard to help her father's pho shop. She dreams of becoming a famous chef of pho but no one, including her father, believes in her ability. Finally, she learns the art of cooking the tasty dish.

"I worked for over a year to complete Kung Fu Pho, from writing the script to building a film studio for my production," said the film's director Duy.

Popular actors such as Duyen, Diem My and My Uyen worked several hours a day with martial arts experts to perfect their kung-fu scenes.

"Through my film, I want to introduce pho to the world," said Duy, who is famous for his horror films like Chung Cu Ma (Hunted House) and Ngu Voi Ma (Sleeping with the Ghost).

The film is released today in Galaxy, CGV and Cinebox cinemas.

Many teenagers are waiting for the chance to watch their idol, pop star Ho Ngoc Ha, return to film.

Ha plays a leading role in Hy Sinh Doi Trai (Love, Man and Woman), a love triangle about a rich man (played by comedian Tan Beo) and two beautiful women (one played by Ha and the other played by Dinh Y Nhung).

The film's Vietnamese-American director Luu Huynh faced pressure to create a shooting schedule for 30 famous artists, including movie stars Ly Hung, Binh Minh and Thai Hoa.

Huynh and his producer, Vietnamese-American actor Tran Bao Son, said they have pinned their hopes on the film being a box-office success.

Hy Sinh Doi Trai will be released later next week to compete with films from Hollywood during the National Day (September 2) holiday.

The other love story is 49 Ngay (49 Days), a comedy directed by Nhat Trung, expected to be released on August 28.

The film is about a young woman , played by Nha Phuong, who faces challenges to find her true love.

Most big cinemas have extended their timetable to screen Vietnamese movies during the holiday. — VNS