A scene from the film 'Late Shift'. Matt, the main character (second from right), will become the hero or villain, depending on the viewer's decision. Photo courtesy of CGV

HÀ NỘI — Moviegoers in Việt Nam will get their first taste of the interactive cinema subgenre with the screening of the film Late shift (Vietnamese title: Phi Vụ Lúc Nửa Đêm) at local theatres.

Late Shift follows Matt (Joe Sowerbutts), a gifted student who works part-time in a London parking lot.

One evening, he becomes involved in an armed robbery of rare Ming porcelain.

When faced with this difficult situation, Matt must decide whether to flee or follow the illegal plan; this decision is made by the audience in the theatre.

According to the film's distributor, there are 180 choice points in the film, and the viewer's interaction will influence characters and lead the story to one of seven different endings.

The audience can control the character's actions via an app on their mobile device. Photo courtesy of CGV

The cinematic version of Late Shift premiered in 2020, based on a 2017 interactive video game of the same name.

Upon its initial release in some countries, the project gained widespread acclaim for its innovative format, engaging, and dramatic entertainment content.

The Sunday Times named Late Shift as "the most important film of the year", while The Guardian called it "a digital experience to look out for".

The project also won many awards, including a BAFTA Cymru Award for "Best Game", "Best Mobile/Tablet" and "Most Creative and Original" at Game Connection Development Awards and "Best Narrative" at BIG Festival Brazil.

Further it was nominated for an IMG Award for "Visual Design" and "Action and Adventure Game" at The Independent Game Developers' Association Awards 2017, and for "Writing or Narrative Design" and "Gameplay Innovation" at the 2018 Develop Awards.

Tobias Weber directed and scripted the film, which stars Joe Sowerbutts, who is best known for his performance in the romantic comedy I Capture the Castle, as well as the popular television series Doctors (2017) and Casualty (2012).

Haruka Abe, who starred in the films Cruella (2021) and Snake Eyes (2021), is also collaborating in this project.

Late Shift will be officially released in Việt Nam on December 2nd in four theatres: CGV Vạn Hạnh Mall, CGV Giga Mall in HCM City, and CGV Vincom Bà Triệu, CGV Vincom Royal City in Hà Nội. VNS