Peach, pho and piano suddenly become 'hot trends of the week', what do we say about state-owned films?

Phim Đào, phở và piano không có một tấm hình có chất lượng đẹp dành cho việc truyền thông — The movie Dao, Pho and Piano does not have a good quality photo for media use.

Peach, Pho and Piano had an official press screening in September 2023, then screened for free in some places during the 23rd Vietnam Film Festival taking place in Da Lat at the end of November 2023.

As part of the pilot project to popularize state-ordered films of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, Dao, Pho and Piano will be shown at the National Cinema Center from the first day of Tet (February 10) as a "test" of audiences with state-ordered films. This is a film screening location under the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism .

No movie promotion strategy

However, it is worth noting that the film only became a phenomenon in the past week thanks to social media. From the initial few screenings, the National Cinema Center had to increase to 18-20 screenings.

The center even had to cut screenings from Tran Thanh's Mai to Dao, Pho and Piano. Up to now, the film has 30 screenings and will continue to increase, at least for the next few days.

Last September, in a conversation with Tuoi Tre, director Phi Tien Son revealed that the film had a state budget of 20 billion VND, however this figure did not include distribution and promotion fees.

"The crew really wants the film to reach a wide audience, but whether it does or not depends on the State's decision," said Mr. Son.

It has become a tradition that before the official release, film crews will provide a trailer (a short video to advertise the film, usually 2-5 minutes) to the audience (shown in theaters or posted online).

There are many movies, before releasing the trailer, the film crew also releases a teaser (a very short clip with expected content or revealing unexpected details, less than 1 minute long).

Peach, Pho and Piano was released after six months (since September 2023) and now only has a "for show" trailer as netizens commented and it is not even a normal trailer. The images in the trailer are blurry and not attractive at all.

In addition, images of actors and film sets are leaked in small, low-quality drops. When newspapers write articles, finding a beautiful, attractive photo to illustrate the article is "harder than reaching the sky". This is a rare situation with private films.

For private films, the success or failure of a film depends on the support of the audience. Private filmmakers consider the audience as God, they always find ways to attract the attention of the audience.

Many films launch media campaigns to promote their films as soon as they start filming, rather than waiting until the film is finished with post-production and is about to be released. They also spend a large portion of their budget on promoting and advertising their films.

Hậu trường phim Đào, phở và piano — Behind the scenes of the movie Peach, Pho and Piano

Gaps and confusion

Peach, Pho and Piano became "hot", audiences in other provinces and cities wanted to see the film. At that time, speaking with Tuoi Tre, Director of the Cinema Department Vi Kien Thanh said that the department also wanted to popularize the film nationwide but it was difficult because "in our country there is no legal basis for dividing the percentage when distributing state-owned films".

This was followed by encouragement for film businesses to join in the dissemination of state films by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism.

On February 22, Dao, Pho and Piano began to escape the cramped confines of the National Cinema Center to come to two cinema complexes of Cinestar and Beta Media across the country thanks to volunteering.

The ministry's encouragement did not include any word about the ratio. The two private cinema chains that are leading the way in distributing state-owned films will hand over all revenue from the films to the State.

A call and a response that sounds "spirited" and full of social responsibility, but when you think about it, it suddenly feels sad.

Because a national-branded film industry (both state-owned and private) can hardly develop - professionally and in line with the times - with just empty words of encouragement and "who agrees, raise your hand" arms like Cinestar and Beta Media.

And the big loophole in the operating mechanism of state-ordered films is still there.

The film was produced, shown at some propaganda or commemorative events of the country and then "stored" so from the beginning there was no strategy, plan to release or promote the film. The decree mechanism also did not have any provisions to pave the way for state-owned films to enter commercial theaters if desired.

When a state-owned film suddenly becomes a phenomenon and attracts the attention of audiences, public opinion can see the confusion of state-owned film makers, from the highest level, the ministry, to the people directly making the film.

Peach, Pho and Piano will probably become a cultural and entertainment phenomenon in 2024. The film's fever raises many issues related to the need for state-invested films to be made professionally to generate real revenue, not just a lucky hit that may not happen again, and not just a story that is left there forever.

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