A wide selection of films for the holidays.

This year's Hung Kings Commemoration Day, April 30th, and May 1st holidays are vibrant with many Vietnamese and foreign films.

This year's holiday season features five Vietnamese films in the race. Notably, several foreign animated films suitable for family audiences are also being released during this period.

Many of the feelings felt very real.

First up is the film "Phi Phong: The Blood Demon of the Sacred Forest" by young director Do Quoc Trung. The film features a cast including Kieu Minh Tuan, Diep Bao Ngoc, Doan Minh Anh, Meritorious Artist Hanh Thuy, Nina Nutthacha Padovan, and others; it officially premiered on April 24th. The plot revolves around Phi Phong – a bloodthirsty demon from the folklore of the mountain people. Con (played by Kieu Minh Tuan) and his younger sister Duong (played by Minh Anh) are two apprentice sorcerers who go to the mountains to rescue their mother, who is in trouble after she and the shaman met with misfortune while performing a ritual to ward off Phi Phong. At the same time, gruesome deaths begin to occur in the village. Suspicion falls on a mother and daughter, Mon (played by Diep Bao Ngoc) and Lua (played by Nina Nutthacha Padovan), who possess characteristics identical to Phi Phong.

The film, which had early screenings from 6 PM on April 16th to 19th, is generating positive word-of-mouth thanks to its quality. "This is arguably the best Vietnamese horror film I've ever seen. The pacing is captivating from beginning to end, the setting is beautifully eerie, and everything from the design to the costumes, makeup, sound, and music is meticulously crafted," commented director Le Thanh Son.

The film "Blood Moon Feast 8" - a Vietnamese adaptation of a Japanese film.

According to Box Office Vietnam, as of noon on April 17th, the film had grossed nearly 23 billion VND, considered a "dark horse" in this year's race. The film is also currently leading the Vietnamese box office revenue rankings by day. However, this position is not yet secure as it still has to compete with four other films: "Blood Moon Party 8" - directed by Phan Gia Nhật Linh, "The Shellfish King" - directed by Đức Thịnh, "Five-Toothed Pig" - directed by Lưu Thành Luân, and "Hero" - directed by Võ Thạch Thảo; all scheduled for release on April 24th.

"Blood Moon Feast 8" is a Vietnamese adaptation of the Japanese film "One Cut of the Dead," featuring a multi-layered script structure following the "film within a film" motif. The film boasts the personal "brand" of director Phan Gia Nhật Linh, producer Charlie Nguyễn, and a cast including Vân Sơn, Lê Khánh, Miu Lê, Liên Bỉnh Phát, Quốc Khánh, Hồng Ánh, Meritorious Artist Đức Khuê, and Kim Kang-woo...

Combining dark comedy, drama, and a touch of horror, the film offers unique and novel elements for the Vietnamese market.

Scene from the film "Phi Phong: Blood Demon of the Sacred Forest"

Director Duc Thinh's film "Trùm Sò" (The Shellfish King) marks his return to the big screen after a long absence. Besides the comedy and action elements, the film also weaves in emotional themes revolving around family, love, and friendship. In addition to the duo Duc Thinh and Thanh Thuy, the film features Phuong Nam – successful for his role as Ta in "Mưa Đỏ" (Red Rain), and beauty queen Mai Phuong…

The horror film "Five-Toed Pig" marks the return of director Luu Thanh Luan after two box office successes: "Demon Dog" and "Spirit Cat: Demon Possessing a Corpse". Actor Vo Tan Phat, making his debut in a horror film, shared: "The most interesting thing is that this film feels very real, from the story to the image of the five-toed pig, because it's a real-life image. Therefore, there were scenes that genuinely scared and stressed me."

The film "Hero" is the only one this holiday season directed by a woman, directly competing with films directed by men.

The film features well-known names such as Thai Hoa, Meritorious Artist Le Thien, Vo Tan Phat, Hong Anh, etc.

Many animated films

Besides the diverse and captivating Vietnamese films, audiences can also choose to enjoy foreign films released during this period, such as the biographical film "Michael," and animated films like "The Grumpy Little Fish" directed by Ricard Cussó, "Marsupilami" directed by Philippe Lacheau, and "The Cats of the Museum 2: The Great Pyramid Rumble" directed by Vasiliy Rovenskiy.

Among them, the film "Michael," directed by Antoine Fuqua and written by John Logan, is a cinematic portrait of the life and legacy of the legendary Michael Jackson.

Audiences get to explore aspects beyond music, tracing his journey from when his talent was discovered as the lead vocalist of the Jackson Five, to when he became an artist with an unceasing desire for innovation. The film features a star-studded cast including: the grandson of the late artist Jaafar Jackson, Miles Teller, Colman Domingo, Nia Long, Laura Harrier...; it will be released on April 17th.

The animated film "The Grumpy Little Fish" is adapted from the children's book "The Pout-Pout Fish" by Deborah Diesen, illustrated by Dan Hanna. The film revolves around Mr. Fish, a lonely fish who lives isolated from the world until his life is turned upside down by Pip, a mischievous little "sea dragon" who accidentally causes a disaster that leaves both of them homeless.

The animated film "Grumpy Little Fish". (Image provided by the distributor)

They decide to seek out Shimmer, a mythical creature said to grant wishes, while simultaneously racing against Benji, a young squid desperate to save his community.

The animated film "Marsupilami" tells the story of David Ticoule accepting a job transporting a mysterious package from South America to France. He takes his son Léo and ex-wife Tess along, inadvertently drawing them into a dangerous mission that he himself doesn't fully understand. Meanwhile, "Masupilami: The Pyramid Rampage" reunites audiences with the familiar trio of Maurice the mouse and the cat duo Vincent and Cleopatra.

All the animated films officially premiered in theaters on April 24th.

This year's holiday movie season sees the absence of a familiar brand to moviegoers: "Lật Mặt" (Face Off) by director Lý Hải. However, this hasn't dampened the film season; instead, the atmosphere has become more vibrant and lively with five Vietnamese films being released simultaneously.

Source: https://nld.com.vn/phong-phu-phim-dip-le-196260417210421184.htm