Hotter than even the Lunar New Year movie season.

The participation of renowned filmmakers, along with a rich variety of themes and genres, has not only increased in quantity but has also, for the first time, created a vibrant film season during the Hung Kings' Commemoration Day, April 30th, and May 1st holidays this year.

Direct competition

This year, the Hung Kings Commemoration Day holiday lasts from April 25th to 27th, followed by the April 30th and May 1st holidays. With such a long holiday period, although there's no information yet about a swap, filmmakers still see this as a golden opportunity to attract audiences to theaters. Five Vietnamese films are scheduled to be released during this time: Trùm Sò (directed by Đức Thịnh), Phí Phông: Quỷ máu rừng thiêng (directed by Đỗ Quốc Trung), Heo năm móng (directed by Lưu Thành Luân), Anh Hùng (directed by Võ Thạch Thảo), and Đại tiệc trăng máu 8 (directed by Phan Gia Nhật Linh). Despite the absence of director Lý Hải, whose Lật mặt franchise has dominated the holiday season for many years, the competition this year remains fierce. On the contrary, the diversity of genres and individual strategies of each film makes the race more unpredictable than ever.

Blood Moon Feast 8, a film that reflects many behind-the-scenes stories about the film industry today. Photo: DPCC

Trùm Sò is the only comedy film, blending in fantastical elements. Anh Hùng, on the other hand, has a strength in a topical story, focusing on emotions and psychological depth. Heo Năm Cón continues the successful folk horror film universe with previous installments such as Quỷ Cẩu and Linh Mèo: Quỷ Nhập Cốm. Phí Phông also continues the horror film genre that is popular with Vietnamese audiences. Meanwhile, Đại Tiệc Trăng Máu 8 benefits from a popular remake script and a star-studded cast.

Speaking about this year's competition, Mr. Nguyen Hoang Hai, Content Director of CGV Vietnam, commented: "From the perspective of total market revenue, this seems like a reasonable decision. However, from the perspective of the success rate of each film, it is quite risky. On a typical day, there are over 7,000 screenings nationwide, reaching around 8,800 during holidays, with estimated daily revenue of nearly 800 billion VND. However, the distribution of screenings is clearly 'stratified': the leading film usually occupies 40%-50% of the screenings, the second-highest film around 20%-30%, the third-highest film ranging from 10%-15%, and the rest evenly distributed among 5 to 6 films." Besides the five Vietnamese films, the market also features foreign films, including the animated film "Grumpy Little Fish" and the musical biography Michael Jackson, about the King of Pop… This is what makes this year's competition even more fierce, as each film must strive to gain an advantage from the very first days of its release.

This year's films for the Hung Kings' Commemoration Day, April 30th, and May 1st holidays feature an interesting "internal clash" between artists. Actress Hong Anh appears in both "Hero" and "Blood Moon Party 8." Vo Tan Phat is involved in both "Five-Toothed Pig" and "Hero." Even more noteworthy is the "clash" between Thai Hoa and director Charlie Nguyen – a duo who have created many successful films. This time, Thai Hoa plays the lead role in "Hero," while Charlie Nguyen is the producer of "Blood Moon Party 8." These interactions further increase media attention and audience curiosity.

Folk materials serve as the foundation.

A notable commonality among films released during this year's holiday season is their shared exploration of Vietnamese folklore and culture, albeit with different approaches. Besides this shared creative trend, this reality also reflects the Vietnamese cinema's efforts to find its own unique identity. "The Five-Toed Pig" not only tells a story with spiritual undertones about karma and reincarnation, but also recreates the folk culture through traditional dances like the "shadow dance" and "monster dance." Director Luu Thanh Luan stated that the team did not view exploiting legends as a gimmick, but rather as a way to portray the distinctive religious and cultural values ​​of each region. However, this also placed significant pressure on accuracy, from the setting and visuals to cultural details, to avoid distortion.

In a different approach, "The Clam King" draws inspiration from the folk tale "Clams, Snails, and Mussels," refreshing the familiar image with a modern storytelling style, combining elements of humor and fantasy. This is a genre that director Duc Thinh persistently pursues, having achieved commercial success with "Trang Quynh."

Phi Phong: The film "Blood Demon of the Sacred Forest" explores the legends of the Northwest mountainous region, revolving around a spiritual entity passed down within the mountain communities. To ensure authenticity, the team consulted with shamans and local people. Actor Kieu Minh Tuan believes that these unique cultural elements are what make the film different, not only for domestic audiences but also attracting attention from the international market.

Thai Hoa plays a psychologically demanding lead role in the film "Hero". Photo: DPCC

Meanwhile, while Blood Moon Feast 8 skillfully incorporates elements of traditional Vietnamese opera, Hero chooses a simpler storytelling approach, emphasizing that "heroism" sometimes lies in very ordinary choices - when people don't turn their backs on the right choices.

It can be said that this year's holiday box office race shows a clear shift in the market, where exclusivity or overwhelming advantages have been broken down, replaced by fair competition between films. When audiences have more choices, they will certainly turn away from less appealing works. This means that the ultimate deciding factor remains the quality of the content and an effective marketing campaign. The 2026 Lunar New Year film season achieved a remarkable feat with three films surpassing the 100 billion VND mark. This could very well be repeated in the upcoming holiday season if the films convince viewers to be willing to spend money on more than one option.

VAN TUAN

Source: https://www.sggp.org.vn/nong-hon-ca-mua-phim-tet-post847588.html