HCM CITY — Movie star, director and producer Ngô Thanh Vân is working on a new film, Cô Ba Sài Gòn (Miss Sài Gòn), after more than four months of filming a project in Hollywood.

Vân and her studio, VAA, will complete post-production in July and release the film later this year.

The 90-minute romantic comedy is about Vietnamese women living in Sài Gòn (now HCM City) in the 1960s. It features the culture and lifestyle of Saigonese.

The history of áo dài (Vietnamese long dress) will also be featured.

Vân asked veteran actresses Diễm My, Thủy Hương and People’s Artist Hồng Vân, three of the industry’s sexiest stars of all time voted by readers of HCM City Cinematography Magazine, to play the film’s leading roles.

She also invited young star Ninh Dương Lan Ngọc, winner of 2011 Golden Lotus Awards for best actress, presented by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, to work with her.

The film includes 3D effects with soundtracks by popular singers and pop bands.

“My film, Cô Ba Sài Gòn, is a romantic song by Vietnamese women who have triumphed in life and love,” said the 39-year-old Vân.

Vân, known as Veronica Ngo in English, j\has completed her latest project in Hollywood.

She spent four months in Los Angeles last year to shoot scenes for Bright, a production directed by David Ayer and written by Max Landis, both of whom worked in blockbusters such as End of Watch in 2012, Furry in 2014 and Suicide Squad last year. 

The US$90 million film stars Will Smith, Joel Edgerton and Noomi Rapace. 

The film is about a policeman, played by Smith, and a humanoid creature called Orc, played by Edgerton, who work together to protect a magic chopstick from evil influences.

Vân competed against many Asian candidates for the role, a killer named Tien.

Distributed by Netflix, the film will be in cinemas later this year. 

Bright is the second Hollywood film in which Vân has appeared.

In 2015, she played a supporting role in a sequel to the 2000 Hollywood blockbuster Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, called Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon II: The Green Legend.

The film was directed by Yuen Woo-ping, starring Michelle Yeoh, who performed in Ang Lee’s 2000 edition Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, and Donnie Yen.  

Vân learned kung fu with experienced martial arts artists before filming her scenes in New Zealand and China.

“I have improved my skills by working with my foreign colleagues. I will bring all I have learned in Hollywood to develop my career in a professional way,” said Vân. — VNS