Ly Hai reveals story of paying his son for acting in 'Flip Side 8'

In a conversation with Thanh Nien, director Ly Hai shared about the project 'Flip Side 8: Vong Tay Nang'. In addition, the male director opened up about his family life, children and marriage with his wife Minh Ha.

Ly Hai is afraid of the title of director worth hundreds of billions and thousands of billions.

Ly Hai shared that when making a film, he never set a goal of achieving a certain number or being better than anyone else.

Photo: FBNV

* Hello director Ly Hai! How did you prepare for the project Lat mat 8: Vong tay nang?

- Director Ly Hai: Every year, I only make one film. Usually, after a project is released, I spend time with my family and also sit down to summarize my experience, and observe the domestic and international market. This helps me grasp trends, avoid overlapping genres with other films and reduce competitive pressure. This is a process I have maintained regularly for the past 10 years. Up to now, Lat Mat has entered part 8, and perhaps the audience has also become accustomed to the fact that every April 30th, a new film of mine will be released in theaters.

* The previous parts of Lat Mat all achieved impressive sales. If the latest part does not meet expectations, what do you think?

- For me, the most important thing when making a film is to create the best product within my ability. If I only think about money all day, it will be difficult to do true art. I focus on writing the script, being a director, and my wife Minh Ha takes care of the production, so I am not concerned with money or how much to invest. I do not let myself be influenced by fear or expectations about revenue. When I have put all my heart into it, if the audience accepts it, I am very grateful, but if not, I accept it because I have done my best.

I am the one who understands my "brainchild" best. Everyone has the right to comment, but I am the one who understands best and knows where I am. Revenue cannot be considered a step forward or a step back. There are films of very high quality but the revenue is not as expected, it does not mean that the film is bad. Many objective factors can affect the result. For me, if the audience sees the efforts of Ly Hai and the crew, it is a success, not how many billions it costs.

The "father" of the series Lat mat shared that he does not compete for revenue but only tries his best to make the most perfect film.

Photo: FBNV

* What does Ly Hai think when people call him "thousand billion director"?

- I am really afraid of the titles of director worth hundreds of billions, thousands of billions. Just having people call me Ly Hai is enough. Those titles sound flashy, but they easily create a lot of pressure. No one can stay on top forever. Those titles do not help me at all. For me, the most precious thing is that the product is loved and accepted by the audience. That is true success, not the number one position or revenue figures.

* In part 8 of Lat mat, what is the thing that you are most satisfied with?

- I am most satisfied with the three big scenes. The first is the big war scene, although it only appears briefly, I am very satisfied because it was done thoroughly. The second is the concert scene with thousands of spectators, staged on a scale like a real performance. And finally, the big flood scene, which is very difficult to film in Vietnam due to the lack of a studio that meets the conditions. We had to combine the real scene and careful staging to create the flood. Despite many obstacles, we were finally able to film a satisfactory film.

Minh Ha is a strong supporter

* In the new project, all four of Ly Hai's children participate in the film. Was this your calculation when writing the script or was it a random decision?

- If the audience pays attention, they will see that my children have appeared in previous parts, but only in very small roles. In previous parts, even though there were characters suitable for their age, because they were not suitable for the role, I did not let them play. I only let them participate when they were truly suitable for the role. With part 8, the children like acting so they actively participated in the casting like everyone else. After going through three rounds of selection, they were able to participate in the film. That is, there is no priority or privilege because they are Ly Hai's children.

Ly Hai said his children also had to audition like everyone else to be able to participate in the movie.

Photo: FBNV

* How do you pay your "homegrown" actors when they participate in movies?

- I asked my children about their salaries, and my eldest son Rio just said that being able to participate in his parents' movies was a happiness, he didn't need to receive money. He also said that if he received money, he would give it back to his parents. They have never held a large amount of money, only a few million in lucky money at most, but then they would send it to their parents or grandmother for safekeeping. Whenever he needed to buy something or go to a friend's birthday party, he would ask for it back. I don't want my children to be influenced by money, so I always teach them to understand the value of money so they know how to spend it properly.

* Do you want your children to follow art like you?

- I don't want my children to follow any specific career path. I want them to be free to experience things, and my parents will support them. If we see that they have any talent, we will let them take extra classes. When they grow up, they will not regret having chosen their own path.

* Being exposed to the showbiz environment early, are you afraid that your child will feel more special than his peers and will have a mentality of relying on his parents?

- My wife and I always agree to teach our children by being strict at the right time, always listening and explaining clearly. I always remind my children that if they are loved by everyone, it must come from them, through kindness and obedience, not because their parents are artists. I do not want them to mistake that love for their parents' fame. I believe that early education will help them be more stable when they grow up. When they go to school, they are also aware that their friends know they are children of famous people. But I always tell them that even though they receive attention, they must always maintain themselves, live honestly, be kind and not be influenced by external factors.

For the 6X male director, family is always number one, wherever he goes he wants his wife and children by his side.

Photo: FBNV

* For you, what role does your wife Minh Ha play in the success of the Lat mat brand ?

- Minh Ha is both my life partner and the person who understands me the most. She does a great job, sometimes she can handle the workload of an entire team by herself. Minh Ha does not interfere with my professional matters, but always supports me from behind so that I can focus on my art. For example, when I want to film a war scene with a large budget, instead of worrying, she always says: 'Just do it, as long as you are satisfied'. Minh Ha is always very understanding. Thanks to that, I feel very comfortable and free to do what I want. Minh Ha is a solid, irreplaceable support.

* Ly Hai and Minh Ha always go hand in hand in work and life, do you ever feel like... you need to be apart to miss each other more?

- For me, going anywhere without my wife makes me feel empty and uncomfortable. So wherever I go, I have to ask my wife to go with me and vice versa. Gradually, it became a habit, wherever we go, we want to go together. After having 4 children, if we are away from them for a while, we miss them and just want to go home right away. Family ties are always very important to me, no matter what I do, family is always number one. I am lucky to have a happy home, that is the foundation that helps me work with peace of mind. I always try to be a role model for my children, because I understand that if I live wrongly, they will be hurt when they go out into society.

* Thank you director Ly Hai for sharing!

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/ly-hai-tiet-lo-chuyen-tra-cat-se-cho-con-khi-dong-lat-mat-8-185250517012929089.htm