Vietnamese film starring Phuong My Chi, worth hundreds of billions of dong, makes banh xeo (Vietnamese savory pancake) a best-seller.

The film "Ancestral House" surpassed 100 billion VND in revenue after 5 days, gaining support from young audiences for its relatable message about family and kinship.

The film "Ancestral House" surpassed 100 billion VND in just 5 days. Photo: Producer.

On February 24th, "The Ancestral House," directed by Huynh Lap, grossed 103 billion VND after 5 days of release, according to Box Office Vietnam statistics.

The film topped the box office with over 4,000 screenings, overwhelmingly outperforming other films such as "Dark Nuns," "Billion Dollar Kiss," and "Captain America: The New World "...

This achievement puts "The Ancestral House" in the top 5 highest-grossing Vietnamese films in opening weekend history, after "The Four Venomous," "Mai," "Mrs. Nu's House," and "The Godfather."

Huynh Lap's film, rated 18+, is a horror-comedy that revolves around My Tien (Phuong My Chi) - a Gen Z content creator - who witnesses many paranormal phenomena in her ancestral home.

One day, she unexpectedly sees Gia Minh (Huynh Lap) - her brother who passed away 10 years ago. Many comical and tragic situations unfold as the two siblings try to save their old house - which is being disputed by relatives who want to sell it to divide the inheritance.

While the film was a box office hit, on social media platforms like Facebook and TikTok, viewers were sharing photos of themselves eating Vietnamese pancakes (banh xeo), watching their mothers make them at home, and so on.

The trend of eating banh xeo (Vietnamese savory pancake) originated from a scene in the film "The Ancestral Home". In the film, Hai The's banh xeo shop is not just a setting but also symbolizes the beauty of family tradition. This is a familiar dish from the Mekong Delta, closely associated with the childhood memories of the characters.

In the scenes where they're making Vietnamese pancakes (banh xeo), director Huynh Lap invited his own family members to participate, making the pancakes using a recipe passed down from his grandmother.

After watching the film, many viewers said they went to eat banh xeo (Vietnamese savory pancake) to savor the lingering taste of the movie. Some returned to their hometowns, filmed their mothers making banh xeo, and shared how they cherished those familiar moments with their families even more.

Some videos of viewers eating or learning to make Vietnamese savory pancakes after watching "The Ancestral House" have attracted hundreds of thousands of views.

Many viewers ate Vietnamese savory pancakes (banh xeo) after watching "The Ancestral House". Photo: TikTok

Director Huynh Lap recounted that selling banh xeo (Vietnamese savory pancakes) was the job his grandmother used to raise nine children. Therefore, he included this dish in the film as a way to promote the beauty of Vietnamese cuisine .

The pancake batter is made from rice flour, has a bright yellow color from turmeric, and a fragrant aroma from coconut milk. The filling is made from various ingredients including minced meat, shrimp, and bean sprouts. When enjoying pancakes, diners usually wrap them with cabbage, lettuce, various herbs, and dip them in sweet and sour fish sauce.

The way bánh xèo is prepared truly reflects the characteristics of local cuisine.

Western-style Vietnamese savory pancakes (Bánh xèo) are diverse, featuring various meats such as pork, duck, shrimp, and prawns. The meat is finely minced and stir-fried with spices beforehand. The batter is then poured into a pan of hot oil, and the chef adds the meat, shrimp, prawns, and vegetables like bean sprouts, Sesbania grandiflora, and Telosma cordata flowers. The pancake is fried until the filling is cooked and the crust is golden and crispy, then folded in half and served on a plate.

Meanwhile, in Central Vietnam, banh xeo (Vietnamese savory pancake) is smaller, made in a cast-iron pan, and people usually pour in plenty of oil before adding the batter. The crust of banh xeo in Central Vietnam is typically thicker and softer, not thin and crispy like in the Mekong Delta.

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