Surprise 'Wooden Fish School'

According to data from Box Office Vietnam, after just one week of release (from July 15th), the short film "Wooden Fish School" by director Nguyen Pham Thanh Dat has grossed nearly 4.5 billion VND - a remarkable figure for a short film and without any big names that attract audiences (except for the familiar Lanh Thanh).

On its opening day, the film grossed 2 billion VND, surpassing two Hollywood blockbusters released at the same time in Vietnam: Superman and Jurassic World : Reborn . This is the first short film to be commercially released in domestic cinemas.

Quoc Hung and Minh Ha in the film Wooden Fish School

Photo: Manufacturer

The film "Wooden Fish" tells the story of Cuong (played by Nguyen Quoc Hung), a young man from the coast who is passionate about music but is discouraged by his father. Although his father buys him an electric guitar, their relationship is constantly tense and complicated. After his father's death, Cuong follows the traditional profession to support his young, pregnant wife (played by Nguyen Minh Ha). However, the seafaring profession is unstable, forcing him to choose: sell the boat to pursue his passion as his wife encourages, or keep it to make a living? The title "Wooden Fish " highlights the difficult decision the protagonist faces as he must choose between "guitar" – music, "fish" – seafaring, and "wood" – his father's cherished boat.

As the debut film and graduation project of Nguyen Pham Thanh Dat from the Hanoi University of Theatre and Film, "Wooden Fish" won the Golden Kite Award 2024 in the Best Short Film category. However, this achievement is not the main reason why the film is anticipated and well-received in theaters; it's the soundtrack. To date, the song "Miracle," composed by the band MAYDAYs (with lead singer Nguyen Quoc Hung) and performed by the duo Minh Toc & Lam, has garnered over 41 million views on YouTube, over 15 million listens on Spotify, and achieved impressive numbers on many other streaming platforms. On TikTok, the song has also become the background music for over 30,000 videos . With simple lyrics and a simple arrangement , "Miracle " attracts attention for its sincerity and overflowing emotion.

Director Nguyen Pham Thanh Dat revealed that the success of the film's theme song and music video was what led him to decide to release the film in theaters. However, upon its release, the fragmented reception from audiences only fueled further attention. Many felt that the 30-minute runtime was too short to tell a complete story, and the ending was rather confusing, while others argued that it was an art film, where the intent and message were conveyed through visuals rather than dialogue. This generated interesting discussions, further sparking curiosity and extending the film's appeal.

While this success is difficult to replicate, " The Wooden Fish " has proven that short films, if they resonate with emotions and have captivating music, can still be box office hits. Furthermore, film music can be an effective way to promote independent, low-budget productions.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/bat-ngo-dan-ca-go-18525072721304953.htm