First poster of Nữ Danh Ca (The Singer), produced by Đức Thịnh and TP Entertainment. The film crew will begin shooting the first scenes after the government’s social distancing period in HCM City ends. Photo courtesy of the producer

 HCM CITY — Vietnamese film companies have postponed work on new projects due to the Covid-19 outbreak. 

Meritorious Artist and film director-producer Đức Thịnh and TP Entertainment started work on their latest film, Nữ Danh Ca (The Singer), about an assassination. 

Thịnh and his staff are working on the cast, posters and soundtracks. They will begin shooting the first scenes after the government’s social distancing period in HCM City ends. 

Nữ Danh Ca features a female killer named Mây who hides under thr identity of a famous singer working in a nightclub. 

Mây’s parents and her older sister were murdered when she was a child. She later lives in a shelter and joins a gang and learns about killing. 

She receives "kill contracts" while trying to find her enemies who killed her family members. 

“We are still working on some things despite the impact of Covid-19,” said the film’s director Thịnh who began his career as a theatre actor. 

“We hope we can start filming in June.” 

Thịnh has also worked on another project, Số Hưởng (Best Luck), a comedy film, which is scheduled to be released during the Têt or Lunar New Year festival of 2021. 

The film’s post-production, starring young actors from the HCM City University of Theatre & Cinematography, will be completed in November.  

Director Phan Gia Nhật Linh is working on his fourth film, Số Đỏ (Dumb Luck), a drama production by CJ HK Entertainment and its partner, Á Việt Media.

The film is about Xuân Tóc Đỏ (man with red hair), a vagabond who makes money and tries to join the upper class by cheating. 

The story is set in the semi-feudal colonial society of Việt Nam in the 1930s and 1940s, which has two legal systems: the French rulers and local feudalists. 

Through Xuân’s life, traditional values, family issues and moral degradation in society are highlighted. 

Số Đỏ is based on the book of the same title by late author Vũ Trọng Phụng, one of the country’s greatest 20th century writers. The book was first released in 1936 in Hà Nội. 

Director Linh worked with the writer’s family on the copyright in March. He has received support from members of Phụng’s family.

His previous film, Trạng Tí (Child Master), was scheduled to be in cinemas in February but has been postponed until early next year due to COVID-19.

The comedy film, worth US$1 million, features Vietnamese folk stories. 

“Filming of Số Đỏ is expected to begin in August,” said Linh.

Bằng Chứng Vô Hình (Invisible Evidence) is a new project by director Trịnh Đình Lê Minh.

The thriller is a version of the Korean blockbuster Blind by director Ahn Sang Hoon released in 2011.  

It features a blind woman (played by Phương Anh Đào) who witnesses a murder. She is hunted by the killer. 

Young actress Đào worked with eye doctors to complete her role. 

“Bằng Chứng Vô Hình is my biggest film ever,” said actress Đào, who began her career as a fashion model. 

Director Minh is working on post- production. “We hope the film will be in cinemas in July,” he said.— VNS