HO CHI MINH CITY: Vietnamese film producers promise to treat horror movie fans with thrilling productions for Halloween.
The long-awaited film Cai Ma (When It Begins) is inspired by the traditional custom of grave relocation in Vietnam, which is a ritual to honour the ancestors.
Relocating the grave to a favourable spot is believed to ensure the ancestors’ spirits are at peace, which in turn brings prosperity and good fortune to the living descendants.
Directed by Thang Vu, the movie revolves around three brothers and a sister of the Do family who decide to relocate their ancestors’ graves to get rid of bad luck. During the ritual, they unveil their family’s secrets and hatred towards them.
Film producer Emily Le said at the film showcase in HCM City on Tuesday (Oct 8) that she invited South Korean film producer Kim Young-min (a producer for the critically acclaimed 2024 horror film Exhuma) to Vietnam to give professional consulting to the crew and ensure the film’s quality.
The film will feature experienced actors Hoang Phuc and Kieu Trinh, together with young faces Alvin Lu and Rima Thanh Vy.
58-year-old actor Phuc, who has been involved in the industry for 45 years, expressed his excitement for the role of the eldest brother, adding that, “this character gives me different feelings, both tough and unpredictable, but also so true to life.”
Film producer and screenwriter Nguyen Thanh Binh promises to make audiences laugh and be thrilled at the same time in his latest project, Pha Dam: Sinh Nhat Me (Re-Birth-day).
The production features a story of a mother and his son. The son, who faces a huge debt, plans to have a fake funeral for his mother for insurance fraud. Ironically, the funeral is held right on her 60th birthday.
Binh said the movie is inspired by Hanh Phuc Cua Mot Tang Gia (The Happiness of a Family in Mourning), a chapter from the novel So Do (Dumb Luck) by Vu Trong Phung, one of the country’s greatest 20th-century writers.
He added that he mixed black comedy with dramatic details to create an unprecedented surprise for audiences.
Bot joined several blockbusters such as Tiec Trang Mau (Blood Moon Party), Em va Trinh (You and Trinh) and Mai.
Bot invited established actors Thanh Hoi, Ai Nhu, and Hong Anh, to ensure the film’s quality and ticket sales.
Meanwhile, Nha Ma Xo (Ghost in the House), a thriller drama by experienced director and screenwriter Truong Dung, will be released on October 24.
The film centres on a single mother named Hien who raised three sons after her husband died in an accident.
One day, her middle son found an old earthenware jar in the river, and since then, paranormal activities have regularly occurred in their home.
Director Dung said that his movie was inspired by a traditional funeral custom in the central highlands.
He added that it was not only a supernatural movie but also reflects family problems and beliefs. — Vietnam News/ANN
