The poster of Nhà Gia Tiên (Ancestral Home). Photo courtesy of CGV

HÀ NỘI — The new Vietnamese horror comedy Nhà Gia Tiên (Ancestral Home) has grossed over VNĐ190 billion (US$7.42 million), making it one of top 10 highest-grossing Vietnamese films of all time.

According to Box Office Vietnam, Ancestral Home recorded the eighth highest revenue in Vietnamese box office history from February 21 to March 3, surpassing Mắt Biếc (Dreamy Eyes) at US$7.03 million and Tiệc Trăng Máu (Blood Moon Party) at US$6.84 million.

This movie is the fourth Vietnamese film to surpass the VNĐ100 billion milestone less than a week after it opened. Earlier this year, Bộ Tứ Báo Thủ (The 4 Rascals), directed by Trấn Thành and Nụ Hôn Bạc Tỷ (Money Kisses), directed by actress-turned-producer Thu Trang, also accomplished this goal.

Box Office Vietnam’s founder, Nguyễn Khánh Dương, commented that this is a rarely seen sight for inland cinema. The last time this happened was in 2019, when Cua Lại Vợ Bầu (Win My Baby Back), Hai Phượng (Furie), and Trạng Quỳnh all reached high box office earnings.

The film gained a lot of positive reviews on social media, mainly praises on its acting and music. Director Huỳnh Lập shared that he is surprised of his work. After six years of absence from the big screen, the 32-year-old director didn’t think that viewers would “have so much interest in his project”.

“I truly appreciate the audiences’ reception for the movie. It may not be a perfect movie, but I believe the emotions you felt while watching are real, whether it is joy or sadness. I’m thankful for the two million moviegoers who loved and chose Ancestral Home as their family-friendly entertainment experience.”, director Huỳnh Lập posted on social media.

Huỳnh Lập, the champion of Vietnamese Got Talent for comedy Cười Xuyên Việt in 2015, rose to fame with his parody videos of films and music videos.

Starting his acting career, he participated in supporting roles in the films Gái Già Lắm Chiêu (Old Girl Has Many Tricks) (2016) and Lô Tô (Lotto). Huỳnh Lập's web drama Ai Chết Giơ Tay (Who Dies, Raise Your Hand) won numerous awards, including Best Web Drama and Best Web Drama Actor at the Green Star Awards. His debut feature – Pháp Sư Mù (Blind Mage) - grossed over VNĐ60 billion in 2019.

Ancestral Home is a horror comedy revolving around Mỹ Tiên, a Gen Z content creator. The character and her best friend film a video of the old house where her family lives, prompting many paranormal activities to occur. Everything changes when she sees her late brother, Gia Minh, played by the director himself. The story then follows the siblings’ efforts to protect the ancestral home from the hands of greedy relatives.

In his second directorial work, Lập continued to pursue a spiritual theme. However, he didn’t want it to be horror-themed; rather, he aimed to convey a message about family affection. Through details about ancestor worship rituals, the work expresses the love and gratitude each person has for their ancestors.

The director included several scenes showcasing the beauty of traditional crafts, such as making bánh xèo (savory pancakes) and the art of glass painting. VNS