The "miracle" of Vietnamese short films.
"A huge surprise," that's how young director Nguyen Pham Thanh Dat described the box office success of "The Wooden Fish." At one point, the film even topped the charts in terms of daily ticket sales (over 50,000 tickets).
“Actually, I didn’t originally intend to commercially release this film, but when the music video for ‘Miracle’ – the film’s theme song – became popular online and attracted a lot of support, I took a chance and released the film in theaters,” Thanh Dat shared. He also said that due to the film’s length of only 30 minutes, many issues had to be reconsidered, from screening times and the number of screenings to ticket prices, all of which were very different from other films released in theaters.
The film "Wooden Fish" tells the story of Cuong, a young man from the coast who has to put aside his passion for music to care for his family. It's a gentle tale of love, aspirations, and difficult life choices. On social media, the film has been the subject of lively discussion. Its strengths are praised for its simple yet emotional story, beautiful setting, and fast pace. However, many viewers have commented that the film lacks climax, leaves unresolved situations unaddressed, and the acting isn't consistently strong. Looking at it from a positive perspective, the controversies surrounding "Wooden Fish" are both inevitable and necessary. Any film that generates mixed reviews upon release demonstrates audience interest, rather than a quiet, unannounced premiere that quickly fades from theaters.
However, as the director himself stated, the film's widespread popularity is largely due to its soundtrack. The theme song, "Miracle," composed and performed by lead actor Nguyen Quoc Hung, has garnered over 39 million views, more than 229,000 likes, and thousands of positive comments on YouTube. Many comments describe the music video and song as moving, melodious, and even tear-jerking. Some people facing difficult circumstances in life shared that they were inspired, felt optimistic, and hoped for their own "miracle."
An opportunity for art films.
Although "The Wooden Fish" was only screened for a week, it left a very strong impression. One of the issues frequently mentioned was the disappointment of going to the cinema because they loved the song but didn't find what they were expecting in the film. However, critics were quite supportive of the film, arguing that the problem didn't lie with the film itself but with the environment in which it was shown to the audience.
One film critic stated that this type of film should be shown in dedicated theaters, where audiences come with a genuine desire to enjoy this genre, rather than in a purely commercial cinema. The story of "Inside the Golden Cocoon" is a prime example; despite receiving numerous international awards, including a major award at the Cannes Film Festival (France), the film quickly failed commercially upon its release, drawing complaints such as "difficult to understand" and "boring to watch"...
Despite ongoing debate, "The Wooden Fish" can be seen as a promising, even pioneering, sign, paving the way for the release of short films. Currently, while domestic cinema produces many short films each year, distribution is very limited. Bringing these films to commercial theaters is difficult, almost impossible. Films are primarily released online for free, or screened at awards ceremonies, film exchange programs, and film festivals.
In fact, not only short films, but also documentaries and films serving political and social needs currently lack a dedicated theater system to screen them for audiences with specific needs. Furthermore, screenings in these types of theaters are a necessary test to gauge audience reaction before wider release. This is also one of the fundamental foundations of a developed film industry, something that the Vietnamese film industry is striving for.
It's difficult, but when the market experiences a "miracle," it means short films have the potential and opportunity to reach a wider audience. The crucial factor remains quality, as the film must truly resonate with viewers. The success or failure of box office revenue then rests entirely in the hands of the audience.
Source: https://www.sggp.org.vn/dan-ca-go-va-tran-tro-cho-phim-ngan-viet-post805151.html
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