Young actors in a scene in Mắt Biếc (Blue Eyes), a production based on a famous novel by Nguyễn Nhật Ánh. The film is expected to be a hit this Christmas season.  (Photo courtesy of the producer)

HCM CITY— Three Vietnamese films produced by HCM City filmmakers are ready for release during the Christmas and New Year holidays. 

Vietnamese-American director Victor Vũ’s film Mắt Biếc (Blue Eyes) is expected to be a hit and a step forward for the season. 

Its producer, Galaxy Studios, one of the country’s leading private film companies, hired Vũ, a graduate of Loyola Marymount University in the US, and 1,400 professional and amateur artists for the cast.

A group of young actors were chosen to guarantee that the film would appeal to young audiences. The crew spent two years on pre-production before filming last year. The film’s soundtrack has attracted more than 30 million views on YouTube.

Mắt Biếc tells the love story of Ngạn, a rural boy from Quảng Nam Province, and his childhood friend, Hà Lan, during their school years. When Lan turns to love a rich man but is betrayed, Ngạn still stands beside Lan.

The film is based on a novel of the same name written by bestselling children’s author Nguyễn Nhật Ánh. The book was published in 1990 and became a bestseller. It has been reprinted several times by the Trẻ (Youth) Publishing House.

Vũ’s first film in Việt Nam was Chuyện Tình Xa Xứ (Passport to Love), a romantic comedy distributed in Việt Nam and the US in 2008.

He directed blockbusters such as Thiên Mệnh Anh Hùng (Blood Letter), Bí Mật Thảm Đỏ (Scandal), Quả Tim Máu (Vengeful Heart) and Người Bất Tử (The Immortal).

The horror film Quả Tim Máu earned more than VNĐ24 billion (US$1.1 million) in just three days after its release in 2014.      

Vũ has won top prizes at film festivals at home and abroad, including the Golden Kite Prize for Best Director in Hà Nội in 2013. 

The other thriller is Chị Chị Em Em (Sister Sister), a production by Vietnamese-American director Kathy Uyên, starring supermodel Thanh Hằng and pop icon Chi Pu. Young actor Lãnh Thanh is also featured.

The film is about female homosexuality and includes scenes rated for viewers aged 18 and above. 

“My film is not just about love and sex. It's about feminism,” said Kathy.

Both Mắt Biếc and Chị Chị Em Em will be in cinemas on December 20.

Producer Nhất Trung’s latest film, Nắng: Lời Hứa Gia Đình (Sunshine: Family Promise), is a sequel to Nắng (Sunshine) that was released in 2016.

The previous part of Nắng earned VNĐ70 billion (US$3 million) in ticket sales last season.    

This show is directed by Đồng Đăng Giang and stars famous comic actress Thu Trang and child actress Ngân Chi. It features motherhood.

Nắng 3: Lời Hứa Gia Đình will be released on Christmas Eve.— VNS