Hot favourite: A scene from the 2012 Golden Kite award nominee, Thien Menh Anh Hung (Blood Letter). — VNS Photo

HCM CITY (VNS)— Fourteen films, including 12 commercial features, have been nominated for the annual Golden Kite awards organised by the Viet Nam Cinematography Association in HCM City.

Many fans expect Thien Menh Anh Hung (Blood Letter) and Bi Mat Tham Do (Scandal), both directed by Vietnamese-American Victor Vu, to be chosen as the winners at the awards ceremony to be held in early April.

The VND30 billion-film Thien Menh Anh Hung, funded by private company Phuong Nam Film and its partners, Saiga Films and Thanh Nien Media Corporation, was made with the general public in mind, rather than juried experts.

The film's visual and sound effects will make it a strong contender for top film of 2012.

Based on a novel by Bui Anh Tan, the film is about a royal family in the Nguyen dynasty. It focuses on the only son, Nguyen Vu, who has difficulty surviving after his family is massacred. Victor Vu a graduate of Loyola Marymount University in the US, said he worked hard to film Viet Nam's first kiem hiep (swordfighter) adventure scenes.

Before being submitted for a Golden Kite, Thien Menh Anh Hung received the Jury Prize at the second International Film Festival in Ha Noi last year.

Many of the film's beautiful scenes were recorded at famous tourist sites in Ninh Binh Province.

Victor Vu's other Golden Kite nominee, Bi Mat Tham Do, is about the dark side of show business, depicting the life and love of a young actress, Y Linh, who loses herself to achieve fame.

The film was a hit with audiences last year.

Young star Van Trang, who played Y Linh, is one of the nominees for the best actress award.

The 10 remaining commercial films for the Golden Kite movie award all revolve around the theme of love and social conflict.

Love takes centre stage in comedies Hello Co Ba (Hello! Ms Ba) produced by Phuoc Sang Film, Cuoi Ngay Keo Lo (Marry Me Soon) by Galaxy Studio and Giac Mong Giau Sang (Dream of Being Rich) by Vina Cinema.

Ngo Quang Hai is a nominee for best director for the horror film Mua He Lanh (Cold Summer).

Hai won the Golden Kite for Best Movie in 2006 for his first production, Chuyen Cua Pao (Pao's Story).

The 2013 Golden Kite ceremony will present awards in six categories: movies, short films, cartoons, scientific films, documentaries, TV series and cinematography research.

The ceremony will take place in HCM City in early April. — VNS