Foreign art films are not selling well in Vietnamese theaters.

In March 2026, the Vietnamese box office witnessed the release of four outstanding art films. These works were highly praised by critics and garnered international acclaim, but they performed poorly at the box office in Vietnam.

The Japanese film Kokuho (National Treasure) , which holds the record for the highest-grossing live-action film in Japan, "landed" in Vietnamese theaters at the beginning of March and has currently grossed only 2.5 billion VND (according to data from Box Office Vietnam ). The fate of another art film from Japan, A Pale View of Hills, is even worse. After more than a week in Vietnamese theaters, the film is currently languishing at the bottom of the box office rankings. According to data from Box Office Vietnam , on March 30 alone, the film only sold a little over a dozen tickets across 5 screenings.

Despite being a huge hit in Japan, Kokuho is experiencing a lack of visitors in Vietnam.

PHOTO: TOHO

Sentimental Value was screened in Vietnam from March 20th, after winning Best International Film at the recent Oscars. However, the award effect did not help the film attract more Vietnamese audiences; it has currently grossed nearly 380 million VND.

Winning big at this year's Oscars with 6 awards, including Best Picture, One Battle After Another returns to Vietnamese theaters from March 20-26. However, including its release last September, the blockbuster starring Leonardo DiCaprio has only grossed approximately 5 billion VND.

This situation has attracted much attention and discussion among film enthusiasts on social media. A number of reasons have been cited for these films failing at the Vietnamese box office, including: too few screenings, screenings in remote locations making it difficult for audiences to attend; niche themes; insufficient marketing; and competition from illegal streaming platforms…

Film critic Tuan Lalarme believes the problem lies in audience taste. "The Vietnamese film market is growing very well, but that growth is mainly in the entertainment film segment… More and more people are going to the cinema, but the tastes of moviegoers aren't for films that require much reflection and lack entertainment energy. The dominance of Vietnamese cinema is also partly why world art films are lagging behind, which is both good and bad news," he said.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/phim-nghe-thuat-ngoai-eo-rap-viet-18526033022100592.htm