The worry of "following the beaten path"

The Vietnam Film Department (Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism) has recently urged film production, distribution, and exhibition units to pay more attention to ideological, artistic, and humanistic values. This message comes amidst the domestic film industry's jubilation over a series of films surpassing 100 billion VND in revenue. However, behind this success lies concern as horror genres are dominating the market. This raises the question of whether Vietnamese cinema is truly maturing or merely experiencing temporary success.

It's easy to see the dominance of horror films in domestic cinemas today: Ghost in the Skin; The Ghost Lamp; The Corpse Possession 1-2; Cam; Phi Phong: The Blood Demon of the Sacred Forest; The Five-Toed Pig; The Underworld Beauty Salon; and most recently, The House Ghost, The Fire God's Mansion… Spiritual themes, folk legends, and witchcraft are becoming familiar choices for many domestic producers.

Vietnamese horror films are no longer in a "boom" phase, but have instead reached a stage of "oversaturation," according to some viewers. (Illustrative image)

Globally , horror films have produced many works of significant artistic value and profound social impact. The problem is that some films currently rely too heavily on jump scares, violence, or superstitious elements to attract viewers, while the core elements of cinema—story, characters, and message—are not given adequate investment.

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This is also something the Film Department noted, stating that due to an overemphasis on sensationalist elements, many films have failed to clearly express humanistic values ​​and social messages. If familiar motifs are constantly repeated, cinema easily falls into a "rut," lacking new explorations in content and artistic language.

Experience from several film industries in the region shows that long-term competitiveness often comes from a balance between commercial success and content value. Vietnamese cinema still has few works that have a significant social impact.

We have a history spanning thousands of years, a rich cultural heritage, and countless stories rich in cinematic material. Yet, most filmmakers still choose safe, market-friendly formulas rather than venturing into challenging subjects or projects requiring a long-term vision.

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Source: https://www.sggp.org.vn/noi-lo-loi-mon-post858678.html