IT HAS BEGUN – Cải Mả (When It Begins), directed by Thắng Vũ, will be in cinemas nationwide on October 31 for Halloween. — Photo courtesy of ERS Factory

HCM CITY — Vietnamese film producers promise to treat horror movie fans with thrilling productions for Halloween.

The long-awaited film Cải Mả (When It Begins) is inspired by the traditional custom of grave relocation in Việt Nam, which is a ritual to honour the ancestors.

Relocating the grave to a favourable spot is believed to ensure the ancestors’ spirits are at peace, which in turn brings prosperity and good fortune to the living descendants.

Directed by Thắng Vũ, the movie revolves around three brothers and a sister of the Đỗ family who decide to relocate their ancestors’ graves to get rid of bad luck. During the ritual, they unveil their family’s secrets and hatred towards them.

Film producer Emily Lê said at the film showcase in HCM City on Tuesday that she invited South Korean film producer Kim Young-min (a producer for the critically acclaimed 2024 horror film Exhuma) to Việt Nam to give professional consulting to the crew and ensure the film’s quality.

The film will feature experienced actors Hoàng Phúc and Kiều Trinh, together with young faces Alvin Lu and Rima Thanh Vy.

58-year-old actor Phúc, who has been involved in the industry for 45 years, expressed his excitement for the role of the eldest brother, adding that, “this character gives me different feelings, both tough and unpredictable, but also so true to life.”

Cải Mã is expected to be in cinemas nationwide on October 31.

PHONY FUNERAL – Phá Đám: Sinh Nhật Mẹ (Re-Birth-day), a comedy and thriller by Nguyễn Thanh Bình, will be released on October 31. — Photo courtesy of Bột Creative Hub

Film producer and screenwriter Nguyễn Thanh Bình, also known as Bình Bồng Bột, promises to make audiences laugh and be thrilled at the same time in his latest project, Phá Đám: Sinh Nhật Mẹ (Re-Birth-day).

The production features a story of a mother and his son. The son, who faces a huge debt, plans to have a fake funeral for his mother for insurance fraud. Ironically, the funeral is held right on her 60th birthday.

Bình said the movie is inspired by Hạnh Phúc Của Một Tang Gia (The Happiness of a Family in Mourning), a chapter from the novel Số Đỏ (Dumb Luck) by Vũ Trọng Phụng, one of the country’s greatest 20th-century writers.

He added that he mixed black comedy with dramatic details to create an unprecedented surprise for audiences.

Bột joined several blockbusters such as Tiệc Trăng Máu (Blood Moon Party), Em và Trịnh (You and Trịnh) and Mai.

Bột invited established actors Thành Hội, Ái Như, and Hồng Ánh, to ensure the film’s quality and ticket sales.

Young actors Tín Nguyễn and Trần Kim Hải are featured as well.

The movie will hit theatres on October 31.

Meanwhile, Nhà Ma Xó (Ghost in the House), a thriller drama by experienced director and screenwriter Trương Dũng, will be released on October 24.

The film centres on a single mother named Hiền who raised three sons after her husband died in an accident.

One day, her middle son found an old earthenware jar in the river, and since then, paranormal activities have regularly occurred in their home.

Director Dũng said that his movie was inspired by a traditional funeral custom in the central highlands.

He added that it was not only a supernatural movie but also reflects family problems and beliefs.

Dũng, who has been in the cinema for 30 years, is known for several TV serials and movies such as Mẹ Con Đậu Đũa (Father and Daughter), Sông Dài (Such a Long Life) and Dòng Nhớ (Nostalgia).

The productions feature experienced actor Thanh Hằng, and familiar faces Quang Tuấn, Vân Trang and Huỳnh Đông. — VNS