A scene in Đôi Mắt Âm Dương (Eyes of Evil), a horror comedy production by Nhất Trung to be released during Tết, which falls on January 24. (Photo courtesy of the producer)

By Thu Anh

HCM CITY  Film companies in HCM City are working hard to release new productions for the festive Tết (Lunar New Year) season. 

Leading film companies Thiên Ngân (Galaxy) Studios and Phước Sang Film now must compete with newcomers, Vietnamese-American producers Lưu Huỳnh and Quang Huy.  

Thiên Ngân and producer Nhất Trung said their Đôi Mắt Âm Dương (Eyes of Evil) is expected to be successful because of its horror theme. The large cast of famous performers will also help to sell more tickets.

The film depicts the lives of beautiful women who are hunted in a house in Đà Lạt. Their lives and deaths are secret until they go toward the light.   

To guarantee the film's success, producer Trung invited Quốc Trường and Bảo Thanh, who are both involved in theatre, film and TV shows, to play leading roles.  

People’s Artist Ngọc Giàu and comic actress Thu Trang are also featured.

The trailer for Đôi Mắt Âm Dương attracted more than 25,000 views on YouTube after its release this week. It is expected to become a blockbuster during the holiday season.

“I predict that horror comedy films will be big hits with youngsters who are looking for more entertainment,” said the film’s producer and director Trung.

The film's biggest competitor, 30 Chưa Phải Là Tết (Tết Has Not Come Yet), is a comedy featuring famous actor Trường Giang in a leading role. The film highlights love and traditional family values.

“I hope the film will hit record ticket sales this Tết," said the film’s producer and director Quang Huy.

Huy spent a big sum to invite comedian Giang because he thinks the actor “is a big name to lure audiences to my film”, he said. “I used 3D technology in my film because I wanted to add something different to a market dominated by Hollywood and Korean films.”

30 Chưa Phải Là Tết features kung-fu action scenes and funny dialogue.

Both Đôi Mắt Âm Dương and 30 Chưa Phải Là Tết will be released on January 24, the first day of Lunar New Year.  

Unlike Trung and Huy, Vietnamese-American producer and director Lưu Huỳnh faced challenges in releasing his comedy Tiền Nhiều Để Làm Gì ( Mo’ Money, Mo’ Problems) for Tết.   

"We had to work hard to make a deal with cinemas and film distributors to show our film in cinemas during the holiday," said a representative of the film’s producer, Phước Sang Films. 

"During the first few days of the holiday, cinema owners find it hard to decide screening schedules, but we filmmakers want our productions to be screened at all cinemas to earn decent profits."

Tiền Nhiều Để Làm Gì stars comic actor Hiệp Gà and fashion model Hà Việt Dũng in leading roles, which is expected to lure their fans to cinemas.  

Meanwhile, BHD, a leading film company and distributor, hired a youthful and attractive cast for its film, including Khả Ngân, Hoàng Yến Chibi and Quốc Anh.  

The love story, Bí Mật Của Gió (Secret of the Wind), is directed by Nguyễn Phan Quang Bình.

Director Bình became famous after his film, Cánh Đồng Bất Tận (The Floating Lives), won Silver Kite awards for Best Feature Film and Best Leading Actress at the Việt Nam Film Festival in 2010.

Bình spent five years to compete Bí Mật Của Gió. “I wanted to improve myself before starting a new project,” said Bình, in a recent interview with local media.

Tiền Nhiều Để Làm Gì and Bí Mật Của Gió will be released after Tết, on January 30.-- VNS