Tran Thanh: 'I love and respect women'

(VTC News) -

Continuing to explore the theme of women on the big screen, director Tran Thanh said he has poured a lot of thought and emotion into his project.

Mai is director Tran Thanh's third feature film, following his two previous successful works, The Godfather (2021) and Mrs. Nu's House (2023). Last year, Mrs. Nu's House stormed the Vietnamese box office, setting a record of 475 billion VND in revenue, becoming the highest-grossing film in Vietnamese cinematic history.

After three years and two impressive films released each Lunar New Year, director Tran Thanh's return with the project "Mai" for Tet 2024 is highly anticipated by audiences.

While "Mrs. Nu's House" revolves around the touching story of the women in the same family, in his new film, Tran Thanh chooses to focus on the life of a woman with a special fate named Mai .

Tran Thanh is dedicating a lot of effort to his third film project.

Having put a lot of thought into exploring the theme of women on the big screen, Tran Thanh shared: “I love and respect women. They have many hidden aspects and untold stories. I want to do something for people to watch and feel, to empathize with and appreciate women more together.”

"Mrs. Nu's House" and "Mai" are two different worlds in terms of artistic perspective, storyline, and the inner lives of each character. In "Mrs. Nu's House," we see women who are hurt but also hurt others, while in "Mai," although still hurt, the way the women confront and choose to deal with it is completely different.

During the production of the new project, Tran Thanh also made many changes compared to his previous film projects. "Previously, I couldn't keep my composure much, because it was the first time I was directing, adjusting camera angles, and also playing my own role."

"I approached this project with the best possible mindset, and my work style became more relaxed and comfortable. The film gave me a lot of positive energy, from the beautiful visuals and creative camera angles to the actors' excellent performances. Perhaps these are the things every filmmaker hopes for," he said.

Immediately after completing "The Godfather," Tran Thanh began preparing the script for the project "Mai ." This is also the project that Tran Thanh has devoted the most effort and passion to so far.

From meticulously crafting the script to investing heavily in technology, equipment, and the exploration and reconstruction of unique settings, he hopes the film will meet audience expectations for its polished quality.

After three years of living and breathing the project, 47 days of filming, and meticulous post-production, director Tran Thanh couldn't hide his excitement as he prepared to introduce his new work to the audience.

Phuong Anh Dao plays the female lead in the film.

Tran Thanh entrusted Phuong Anh Dao with the lead female role. She is currently a name that has proven her acting abilities and received high praise from critics through a series of works she has participated in. The first-time collaboration between Tran Thanh – a director with two box office guaranteed films – and Phuong Anh Dao – the "muse" of Vietnamese cinema – further sparks curiosity among audiences.

In addition, the film also features the participation of Tuan Tran, Hong Dao, Uyen An, Ngoc Giau, Kha Nhu...

The movie Mai is scheduled to premiere on February 10, 2024 (the first day of the Lunar New Year).

Ngoc Thanh

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