HCM CITY – Six Vietnamese-made films are being shown in cinemas nationwide this month.   

Moviegoers are eager for the comeback of comic actor Thái Hòa and Vietnamese-American director Charlie Nguyễn in the comedy Chàng Vợ Của Em (My Mr. Wife).

The duo were successful in such films as Để Mai Tính (Fool for Love), Tèo Em (Little Tèo), Cưới Ngay Kẻo Lỡ  (Love Puzzle), and Fan Cuồng (Fanatic).

Chàng Vợ Của Em is adapted from the English novel Busy Woman Seeks Wife by Annie Sanders, featuring the love story of a homely man and a successful woman.

In an interview with local media, Charlie said it was the first time he had adapted a film from a book, which was set in the UK.

The movie will be different from the book, but he will keep the novel’s spirit about the differences between social classes.

The director invited young actress Phương Anh Đào, who recently rose to fame with films Em Gái Mưa (Rainy Girl) and Nhắm Mắt Thấy Mùa Hè (Snow in Summer), to play a leading role along with Thái Hòa.

Chàng Vợ Của Em will be released on August 24.

Another long-awaited movie this month is Song Lang, a romantic drama about cải lương (reformed opera), a genre of traditional theatre in the South which began 100 years ago. 

Directed by Leon Quang Lê, the film features the cải lương troupe Thiên Lý in Sài Gòn in the 1980s, and focuses on the challenges that cải lương artists face to preserve their art. 

It also centres on the career of a young performer, Linh Phụng, who makes sacrifices to pursue his dream.  

“I hope my film will entertain and educate audiences, particularly young people, who should have better understanding of Vietnamese theatre,” said Leon. 

He invited pop singer and actor Issac, winner of the Rising Star of Asia’s Star Awards at the 21st Busan International Festival in 2016, to play the leading role of Linh Phụng.

“Singing cải lương is a big challenge. I was under pressure during shooting. My role in Song Lang marks a new process in my film career,” said the 30-year-old Issac, who spent hours a day to practice singing and dancing cải lương with experts.

The film will be in cinemas on August 17.

Lời Kết Bạn Chết Chóc (Dream Man) is a horror film by Vietnamese-American director Roland Nguyễn Nhân, who earned a Master’s of Fine Arts at the University of Southern California.

The film sends a message about the dark side of social media and depicts the loneliness of youth in today’s society.

The movie will feature young actors and singers Thanh Tú, Thanh Duy Idol, Đàm Phương Linh and Lý Bình, who has appeared in many film projects in recent years.

Lời Kết Bạn Chết Chóc began filming in 2015 and will be released on August 10.

This month also sees the release of comedies Trường Học Bá Vương (Fight Back to School) on August 3, Tìm Vợ Cho Bà (Bride for Rent) on August 10, and Hoán Đổi (Switched) on August 31.

The productions feature young actors Yang Mi and Nhã Phương, together with popular comic actors Việt Hương and Trấn Thành. – VNS