HCM CITY – Cô Ba Sài Gòn (The Tailor), a romantic comedy produced by movie star, director and producer Ngô Thanh Vân, will be screened at the 22^nd Busan International Film Festival in Busan, South Korea next month.

The film, to be presented in the category “A Window on Asian Cinema”, is a 90-minute romantic comedy about Vietnamese women living in Sài Gòn (now HCM City) in the 1960s. It features the culture and lifestyle of the Saigonese as well as the history of the áo dài (Vietnamese long dress).

Cô Ba Sài Gòn stars veteran actresses Diễm My, Thủy Hương and People’s Artist Hồng Vân—voted three of the industry’s sexiest stars of all time by readers of HCM City Cinematography Magazine.

Young star Ninh Dương Lan Ngọc, winner of the 2011 Golden Lotus Award for the best actress, presented by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, also appears in the film. 

Directed by young talents Lộc Trần and Kay Nguyễn, the film includes 3D effects with a soundtrack by popular singers and pop bands.

Producer Vân and her studio VAA completed the post-production in July and will release the film in Việt Nam in November and in the US later.  

The teaser trailer will be released tonight.

“Cô Ba Sài Gòn is a romantic song by Vietnamese women who have triumphed in life and love,” said the 39-year-old Vân, who has more than 10 years of experience in the industry.  

Vân, known as Veronica Ngo in English, has completed her latest project in Hollywood. She spent four months in Los Angeles last year shooting scenes for Bright,  directed by David Ayer and written by Max Landis, both of whom worked on the films End of Watch in 2012, Furry in 2014 and Suicide Squad last year. 

Vân plays a supporting role, a killer named Tien. Distributed by Netflix, the US$90 million film stars Will Smith, Joel Edgerton and Noomi Rapace and will be in cinemas next year. 

Bright is the second Hollywood film in which Vân has appeared. In 2015, she appeared 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 film Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, and Donnie Yen.

Last year, Vân’s Tấm Cám-Chuyện Chưa Kể, a fantasy film worth VNĐ20 billion (US$880,000), was screened at the 21^st Busan International Film Festival.   

According to Vân, the film’s distributor BHD worked with its Korean partner, Kidari Ent, to distribute Tấm Cám-Chuyện Chưa Kể in South Korea and other Asian countries.

The 22^nd Busan Film Festival, which takes place from November 12-21, has attracted 98 films from 75 countries. — VNS