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An is the main character of the Doan Gioi novel Song of the South. The Vietnamese author tapped into the spirit of adventure when he wrote about a son’s quest to meet his father. The emotional journey has a very interesting backdrop: the strife between the French army and the rebel army. The new Netflix film adapts the novel and tries to create a cinematic equivalent of An’s journey, and it works in most parts, especially when dealing with An’s story.

The novel was the foundation for the TV series in 1997, which was quite a hit in Vietnam, and it’s no surprise that Quang Dung Nguyen has tried to tell the story again by directing this film. The film immediately reminded me of stories that are quite profound, usually because of the journey of the protagonist. The coming-of-age aspect of the film is reminiscent of films...

The Vietnamese film Song of the South is based on the novel of the same name by Doan Gioi. It is a tried-and-tested story, as it was made into a television series way back in 1997. It is a beloved and epic tale of a boy named An who goes on an adventure to meet his father. The time period of the film also brings almost insurmountable obstacles for An, as this is a story set when Vietnam was a French colony. An’s father was the leader of the rebel army, trying to fight for the country’s freedom. He lived away from the family, and An’s mother was the one who had to take full responsibility for raising An. The story takes a turn when An and his mother have to escape as the French are going after the rebels and their sympathizers.

Spoilers Ahead

Plot Synopsis: What Happens In The Film?...

By Le Chou

December 30, 2023

For the first time in modern Vietnam cinema since the establishment of its box office tracking, six local films topped the Vietnam box office in 2023 and combined to capture more than a third of the total box office receipts. This dominating performance by local films is a stark reversal of 2022, when the top local film only placed sixth in the year's overall ranking behind Hollywood and other foreign films.

As 2023 comes to a close, here's a look at the 6 films (in order of box office performance) and the directors who helmed them:

1. Nhà Bà Nữ (The House of No Man)

Directed by Trấn Thành, starring Uyển Ân, Song Luân, and Trấn Thành.

Trấn Thành marks his solo directorial debut with Nhà Bà Nữ (The House of No Man), which unequivocally became the box office champion upon its release during Tết (Lunar New Year). The film stars...