To attract audiences, cinemas in HCM City are not only importing
popular films but also launching promotions and offering freebies.

The city film market has four big players – Megastar Media
Company, Thien Ngan (Galaxy) Studio, BHD Film Company, and Lotte Cinema Viet Nam
– besides a few smaller ones like Cinebox and Sai Gon Movies Media.

Tickets at the 60 odd theatres cost from VND35,000 to
VND250,000, meaning a family of four has to shell out VND500,000 (US$25)
including on cooking and drinks. Nevertheless, for many people films are a prime
attraction in their free time.

Megastar, which reopened Megastar Cineplex Sai Gon Paragon
early last month, announced promotions like a 30 per cent discount on tickets to
mark the reopening and a lucky draw for Rio with the prize being an Acer smart
phone.

It also held a photo contest during the release of the film
Mars Needs Moms.

Megastar paid VND1 billion (US$48,160) for dubbing the 3D
version of Rio in Vietnamese for the benefit of young children.

Small cinemas have also got into the race.

BHD, which has one cinema, has been organising Vietnamese and
Japanese film weeks. Despite showing oldish films, they drew unexpectedly large
audiences.

BHD held the (Vietnamese Movie Days programme featuring hit
films from March 15 to 31 before extending it until May 2 due to popular demand.

The festival attracted 12,000 people, director of BHD Star
Cinema, Pham Van Thanh, said.

Besides offering tickets at just VND40,000, the Vietnamese
movie programme also gave audiences a chance to win prizes like digital cameras,
iPod’s, cosmetics, raincoats, free tickets, and membership cards.

BHD also offered 50 per cent discounts on food and beverages
during the National Reunification Day-May Day holidays.

Thang Long Cinema had a promotion from April 1 to May 1 in
which people buying two tickets got the chance to win gift vouchers, cosmetics,
and gifts like Panasonic sound systems, Pioneer DVDs, Electrolux steam irons,
VIP tickets.

VietNamNet/Viet
Nam News