VietNamNet Bridge – Two young directors in HCM City are hoping their new movies will set new box office records during the Lunar New Year, despite stiff competition from lucrative Hollywood products.

New direction: Teen singers Minh Hang (left) and Chi Thien in a romantic scene in Giai Cuu Than Chet, a musical comedy directed by rising talent Nguyen Quang Dung.

Dang says that he believes in the financial success of his film because it’s a comedy with a cast of the industry’s hottest faces.

Dep Tung Centimet

laces its humour with some eroticism, scenes that are ably performed by the “pretty woman” Tang Thanh Ha, a promising artist on both the catwalk and the silver screen.

About her first “sexy scenes”, Ha says she has confidence in Dang’s talent and experience in the film industry.

In many interviews with the local press, the 35-year-old director has said that “Ha is a professional artist. In my film, I’ve wanted her to act for art. I don’t want to build her up as a sex symbol.”

Dang’s statements have only whetted the curiosity of young audiences about their idol’s performance.

Produced by the private film company BHD, Dep Tung Centimet is expected to be a big hit over the festival film season.

Dang’s biggest competitor, director Nguyen Quang Dung, has a very different approach.

In his latest work, Giai Cuu Than Chet (Saving the Death) – a musical comedy, there are no big stars.

Dung’s film uses an amateur cast, including teen singers Minh Hang, Dong Nghi, Chi Thien and Baggio – who are playing their first leading roles in a movie.

Although he has no experience in producing musicals, Dung decided to make Giai Cuu Than Chet because “I want to add something new to a market dominated by traditional film making.”

“I predict that comedies with music and dance will be big hits with youngsters who are looking for more light-hearted entertainment,” he says.

Giai Cuu Than Chet

revolves around an ugly schoolgirl called An, played by Minh Hang, who finds it hard to communicate with her classmates.

One day, An meets Death, played by Chi Thien. She asks Death to improve her beauty and talent in singing and dance. The film tracks them on this journey that is full of trouble and fun, within and outside school.

“I believe young audiences will identify with the couple’s characters and learn valuable lessons for their lives,” says Dung, who is said to have used punk rock in his film to appeal to young fans.

To guarantee its success, Thien Ngan, HK Film and Thanh Nien Communication have spent more than VND3 billion (US$174,000) in production cost alone for the film.

Although many movie critics have complained Dung’s film is a copy of the Hollywood blockbuster High School Musical 3 – a Walt Disney release last year, Giai Cuu Than Chet is expected to break some box office records in ticket sales.

“You told me Giai Cuu Than Chet is the second High School Musical 3. No problem. I like it,” says Nguyen Minh Tu, a tenth-grade student in HCM City. Tu says all of her friends were waiting eagerly to see the film in theatres.

The two movies hit the screens today in major movie theatres across the country

(Source: Viet Nam News)