Will Tran Thanh make a film that grosses 1 trillion VND?

At nearly 40, Tran Thanh has reached the peak of his career and has become accustomed to both praise and criticism. The artist is proud to live authentically and hopes to contribute and bring good things to society.

VietNamNet•30/01/2025

Director Tran Thanh.

- Are you satisfied with the public's reaction after the two premieres of " The Four Vengeful Spirits " in Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi ?

First of all, I'm happy, but I'm never completely satisfied with any project. Right after the press conference, I always point out the flaws and regret that things could have been done this way or that way, which would have been better.

Many viewers say that after watching my films, they feel overwhelmed, cry for days, and can't "get over" it. I want to change things up this year because people get bored eating the same thing all the time.

When filming "The Four Vengeful Spirits ," I decided from the start not to make a big fuss like in "Mai ." I chose a simple script so that I could relax and the audience could enjoy a good laugh at the beginning of the year.

- What were the challenges you faced while working on this project?

Initially, when making comedy films, I thought it would be easy because all I needed to do was choose good-looking actors and assemble a cast of familiar faces.

In reality, I'm making things difficult for myself by juggling multiple tasks at once. I have to guide and explain the script and acting techniques to Ky Duyen , Quoc Anh, and Tieu Vy. All three actors are young and new, lacking extensive experience on the big screen.

But when filming wrapped, I felt it was worth it. I've always hoped Vietnamese films would reach the same level as foreign films, with beautiful actors who meet international standards.

I see it as a matter of national pride. Our cinema must stand shoulder to shoulder with other countries, even if it may be less developed or lagging behind; what's important is the awareness of continuous progress and development.

Tran Thanh hopes that Vietnamese films can reach the same level as foreign films, from actors to scripts.

- Naturally, there will be many comparisons between his works, box office revenue, and whether Tran Thanh's story is a breakthrough or a step backward?

Comparing this film to the previous one is a matter of personal taste. It's a matter of personal preference, so I welcome all praise and criticism. With *The Four Vengeful Spirits *, I'm level-headed enough to know it's "lighter" than *Mai* .

I wanted to conduct an experiment with a film aimed at young audiences, to see if it could generate the same revenue as those other works. For better or worse, first and foremost, we need to be innovative; we can't let people label it as: "Tran Thanh's films are always heavy and full of crying."

I will consider the results. If I fail, I'll try again, no problem. As long as I don't do a bad job, I won't be ashamed of myself or those who trust me. I don't set myself as a benchmark; I must overcome my pride to improve.

- Tran Thanh's films often bring together many stories: generational differences, love, society… what is his ultimate perspective in cinema?

As a human being, this is what I focus on most when I take on the role of director. I tell stories about how we live, work, and move around every day... Anything that falls within the realm of humanity, I will share with the audience.

Each director has a different perspective in art. For example, in works about family, audiences can see a different approach from Tran Thanh.

My view is that artists, when creating their work, must infuse their thinking into their creations, letting the world know the mindset they are living with.

- Many people say that regardless of the genre, Tran Thanh always incorporates moral lessons into his films. Do you want to respond to that?

I feel like people are getting a negative perception of morality. When making films, I simply include what I think, rather than trying to be overly sentimental.

From my perspective, it's based on experience and viewpoint. If you call it preaching morality, I can't do anything about it because I can't control the feelings of the majority.

To be honest, I read very little. So don't say I took a really good quote from a book and put it in the film. The message in the film isn't printed in any book because it's unique to Tran Thanh.

Everyone is afraid of failure!

- To be frank, do you have high expectations for your first blockbuster film?

I'm confident simply because records are meant to be broken. I never thought I'd make a film costing over 400 billion VND like *The Godfather* . When I filmed *Mrs. Nu's House* , I guessed it would be lower than *The Godfather* , but it still surpassed it. And * Mai * – a sad film with a personal story of a young woman – I made it to fulfill my passion, yet it set an unprecedented record.

Why shouldn't I have the right to believe that I can make Vietnam's first trillion-dollar film? I really want to.

What enabled Tran Thanh to achieve these accomplishments is that I didn't feel pressured or try to surpass myself. If I were making a film later, I would be worried, hesitant, and easily influenced, and I certainly wouldn't be able to create a better work.

Tran Thanh dreams of reaching the 1 trillion VND revenue milestone for his film industry, but he also fears failure.

- Does Tran Thanh also fear failure?

Of course I'm scared! It's precisely because I'm scared that I always try to avoid it. If I fail, it's best not to give up. For me, the opposite of success isn't failure, but giving up. As long as we don't give up, we can continue pursuing our dreams.

Success and successful people are two different definitions. Successful people, even if they experience failure, it is only temporary.

- Many young people see Tran Thanh's success as a role model to follow. What are your thoughts on this?

Many people assume I'm under pressure to surpass or maintain my success and fame, which isn't true. My philosophy is simply to do better than I did yesterday.

On the contrary, my biggest pressure is becoming a role model for some people. Tran Thanh is just a human being, with things he doesn't have, things he's not good at, things he's not great at, so I don't aspire to be an overly perfect role model in the eyes of others.

Please look at Tran Thanh as a human being, meaning he's not perfect, he has good qualities and not-so-good qualities. I strive to improve every day so that those who love me won't be disappointed for choosing the wrong person to love.

The artist takes pride in always living authentically and yearning to contribute.

- Whatever Tran Thanh says or does can become a topic of discussion for everyone; he seems quite used to this?

If I worried too much, it would give me a headache, but I don't really care about this. Because I know that whether I'm awake or asleep, there are many people talking about me. So, I should think less and just do my best in what I need to do.

- What makes Tran Thanh so valuable today?

I am proud to have lived authentically, earning money through honesty, without any ulterior motives. I want to pursue my profession, contribute, and hope that each of my works brings something good to society.

When people watch a film I make, they can go home and ponder about it. At least there's some empathy, some listening, and that makes me happy.

Vietnamnet.vn

Source: https://vietnamnet.vn/tran-thanh-se-lam-ra-bo-phim-doanh-thu-1-000-ty-2365719.html