HCM CITY — Not only a best-selling children's author, Nguyễn Nhật Ánh also is a favourite figure among Vietnamese filmmakers. Movies adapted from Ánh’s novels have gained tremendous success at the box office, making the writer one of the authors with the most literary works adapted into films.

The year 2024 will witness the premiere of two new movies adapted from Ánh’s works, Ngày Xưa Có Một Chuyện Tình (Love Upon a Time), and Kính Vạn Hoa (Kaleidoscope). While the Love Upon a Time is currently being filmed, the project of Kaleidoscope just has been announced to launch last week by director Võ Thanh Hòa and co-producers Galaxy Studio and 89S Group.

A scene from the movie Tôi Thấy Hoa Vàng Trên Cỏ Xanh (I See Yellow Flowers on the Green Grass) which is an adaptation of the novel by the same name by writer Nguyễn Nhật Ánh. — Photo courtesy of Galaxy Media & Entertainment

Earlier, Kaleidoscope was adapted into a television series, attracting larger audience for a long time.

The story is about a trio of friends, consisting of the smart yet clever Quý Ròm, the righteous yet honest Tiểu Long, and the pretty yet knowledgeable Hạnh. Together, they enjoy fun-filled days in school and exciting adventures during their school years. Their story and experiences reminisce about a time long gone that most of readers and audience have experienced.

The cast of TV series, including Ngọc Trai (Quý Ròm), Vũ Long (Tiểu Long), Anh Đào (Hạnh), were very successful in arousing the audience’s emotion. That’s why finding a cast suited to the characters of the cinema version is a major challenge for producers.

Love Upon a Time, directed by Trịnh Đình Lê Minh, is about romantic love and the journey of personal growth of the main characters.

Commenting on the cast selection of the movie, writer Ánh shared: "When a person reads a book, depended on his personality and feeling, he may have his own imagination about the characters featured in that book. It may be the same with director Minh. He will envision main actors based on his own perceptions and creative inclinations. As a writer, I hope that with the literary material, the director will create a successful film that can touch the viewers' hearts."

A scene from the movie Mắt Biếc (Blue Eyes) which is an adaptation of the novel by the same name by writer Nguyễn Nhật Ánh. — Photo courtesy of Galaxy Studio

The first work by Ánh to be adapted into a feature film is Tôi Thấy Hoa Vàng Trên Cỏ Xanh (I See Yellow Flowers on the Green Grass), which was directed by Victor Vũ. Gaining applause from both critics and audience, the film earned a box office revenue of more than VNĐ77 billion (about US$3.15 million).

Following that success, director Victor Vũ produced another movie adapted from the novel Mắt Biếc (Blue Eyes) by Ánh. The film about the one-sided romantic love story between two main characters Ngạn and Hà Lan brought the revenue of VNĐ180 billion (about $7.36 million).

Director Phan Gia Nhật Linh has also adapted Ánh’s work Cô Gái Đến Từ Hôm Qua (The Girl from Yesterday) which achieved a box office revenue of VNĐ70 billion (about $2.86 million).

Although there were mixed reviews about these movie adaptions, overall, they have created a positive impression on the audience and achieved high success in terms of revenue.

Explaining the success of the movies, many critics suggest it’s the combination of talented directors and best-seller writer.

Writer Nguyễn Nhật Ánh (right) and director Phan Gia Nhật Linh. — Photo courtesy of the director

Over time, writer Nguyễn Nhật Ánh has become a well-established name, who has a large number of readers. Directors Victor Vũ and Phan Gia Nhật Linh have also built their own reputation with their quality movie productions.

"Pursuing the topic about children and young people, Nguyễn Nhật Ánh makes himself distinctive from others as very few writers are consistent with a single topic. Alongside his writing talent, he has also practical experiences, which are vivid materials to create captivating stories that appeal not only to children but also to those who have experienced similar childhood and youth,” journalist Cát Vũ commented.

“That’s why when these popular literary works are adapted to the big screen, it creates curiosity among the audience, drawing them to the cinema to enjoy,” she added. — VNS