By Thu Anh

HCM CITY —  Private film companies will make history at the annual 2016 Golden Kite Awards competition organised by the Việt Nam Cinematography Association in HCM City on April 9.

This marks the first time that private studios have dominated the category of feature films, leaving their competitors, State-owned companies, far behind.

All of the 19 feature films nominated for Golden Kite prizes were produced by private filmmakers.     

Many young fans expect female director and producer Ngô Thanh Vân’s Tấm Cám - Chuyện Chưa Kể (Tấm Cám - The Untold Story) and Cường Ngô’s Truy Sát (Wanted) to win at the awards ceremony.

The VNĐ20 billion (US$900,000) fantasy movie Tấm Cám - Chuyện Chưa Kể, starring young actress Ninh Dương Lan Ngọc, winner of the 2011 Golden Lotus Awards, was made with the general public in mind and juried experts.

The film’s visual and sound effects are expected to make it a strong contender for awards. 

Based on Tấm Cám, a fairy tale known as the Vietnamese version of Cinderella, the film is about the life of an orphan girl named Tấm, who is beautiful, hard working, and kind to people and animals.  

Director Vân, who has more than 11 years working in the industry, said she and her staff worked hard to film the action scenes.

Before being submitted for a Golden Kite, Tấm Cám - Chuyện Chưa Kể earned around VNĐ70 billion ($3.1 million) in ticket sales.  

Truy Sát, a crime production directed by Vietnamese-Canadian Cường, who graduated from York University in Toronto in film production and directing.

The film was a hit with audiences last year.

It features the life of an inspector, played by Trương Ngọc Ánh, who works underground in a drug trafficking group.

“In Truy Sát, I tried my best to portray a woman who faces challenges to balance her family and career,” said the 40-year-old Ánh.    

Ánh is one of the nominees for the best actress award.

Other featured films include Đỗ Đức Thịnh’s Sứ Mệnh Trái Tim, Đinh Tuấn Vũ’s Chờ Em Đến Ngày Mai (Waiting for You Until Tomorrow), Lý Minh Thắng’s Sài Gòn Anh Yêu Em (Sài Gòn, I Love You) and Lương Đình Dũng’s Cha Cõng Con (Father and Son).

Critics are hoping for a win for independent director Dũng’s 90-minute film Cha Cõng Con, a work about the story of a boy named Cá who has always dreamed of touching the clouds and of a father who has spent his life fishing by the river. 

The film stars Đỗ Trọng Tấn from the SOS Children’s Village Việt Trì as Cá.

The 13 remaining films for the Golden Kite award all revolve around the themes of love and social conflict. 

The 2016 Golden Kite ceremony will present awards in six categories: feature and short films, cartoons, scientific films, documentaries, TV series and cinematography research. 

The organiser received 120 entries for the competition’s categories, including best film, best director, best actor and best actress.  

A week of free screenings will begin on April 3 at Cinebox, Cinestar Quốc Thanh, CGV Thảo Điền and BHD cinemas.  

The ceremony will take place on April 9 at HCM City’s Army Theatre on Cộng Hòa Street in Tân Bình District.  —VNS