For the first time in years, Vietnamese films outperformed foreign titles at the domestic box office, driven largely by the unexpected commercial success of historical and revolutionary-themed productions. Industry observers say the contrasting fortunes of winners and losers in 2025 point to a market entering a decisive phase of consolidation and audience-driven selection.

The year’s standout was Red Rain, which grossed VND714 billion (US$28.5 million) and attracted more than 8.3 million viewers, making it the highest-grossing Vietnamese film of 2025 by a wide margin. The historical war drama more than doubled the revenue of the second-ranked title, challenging long-held assumptions that such genres were commercially unviable.

Beyond ticket sales, Red Rain generated unusual social impact. While still drawing strong audiences in cinemas, the film was withdrawn from commercial release and made available for free on digital platforms, alongside mobile screenings in provinces nationwide, targeting veterans, elderly viewers and local communities. The move, unprecedented in Vietnam’s film distribution history, broadened access while reinforcing the film’s cultural mission.

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Bui Hoai Son, a member of the National Assembly’s Committee on Cultural and Social Affairs, said the film’s success signalled a new stage of maturity for Vietnam’s cultural industries, where artistic ambition, social value and market performance can coexist rather than compete.

Red Rain was not an isolated case. The three highest-grossing Vietnamese films of 2025 all belonged to historical, war or revolutionary genres. Hijacked earned more than VND250 billion and was selected to open Vietnam Cinema Week in Paris, while Tunnel: Sun in the Dark grossed VND172 billion and drew strong interest from younger audiences. Analysts say the trend reflects a growing appetite among Vietnamese viewers, particularly the youth, for large-scale, serious narratives when they are produced with technical polish and emotional depth.

Overall, the top 10 Vietnamese films generated more than VND2.77 trillion in ticket sales, with total domestic film revenue estimated to exceed VND3.1 trillion for the year. Vietnamese productions accounted for roughly 62% of market share, reversing a long-standing pattern of dominance by imported films. Ngo Phuong Lan, chairwoman of the Vietnam Association for the Promotion and Development of Cinema, described Vietnam as one of the world’s fastest-growing film markets.

Yet behind the headline numbers, the market revealed growing pressures. Established directors and producers such as Tran Thanh, Ly Hai, Thu Trang and Victor Vu continued to anchor box office performance, but their dominance appeared less assured as audiences demanded stronger storytelling and greater originality.

Conversely, 2025 continued to expose a familiar paradox of Vietnam’s film industry: critical acclaim does not necessarily translate into box-office success. Several films praised by critics and even honored at international film festivals failed to attract domestic audiences. Don’t Cry, Butterfly!, which won an award at the Venice Film Festival, earned only about VND647 million upon its release in Vietnam. The Cramped Heart took in just VND789 million, while Ky Nam Inn grossed around VND1.7 billion after several days in theatres.

The common thread among these films is their slow pacing and strong auteur imprint, marked by rich symbolism and philosophical depth, but coupled with a lack of sufficiently robust marketing strategies to reach a mass audience. Released outside peak entertainment seasons, such art-house productions face even greater difficulty in generating box-office momentum. As a result, the paradox repeats itself: the more artistically ambitious a film is, the more likely it is to be left behind in the commercial race.

The horror genre, once seen as a reliable profit engine, also showed signs of fatigue. Several releases underperformed amid criticism of weak scripts, overuse of spiritual motifs and formulaic production. High-profile failures late in the year reinforced the view that star power and marketing tactics cannot compensate for narrative shortcomings.

Industry experts say these contrasts suggest Vietnamese cinema is undergoing a period of market filtering, in which audience expectations are becoming more decisive. The success of historical films, they argue, demonstrates the industry’s potential to produce works of national scale that fulfil both cultural objectives and commercial demands.

As 2025 draws to a close, many see the year as a watershed moment, strengthening confidence that Vietnamese cinema can consolidate its position at home and gradually expand its international presence, provided quality remains the central priority.

‘Red Rain’ moves international audiences at Vietnam Film Week in Paris

VOV.VN - Vietnam Film Week – Itinéraire de Lumière (Vietnam Cinéma – Itinéraire de Lumière) concluded on December 12 at the Pathé Palace cinema with a screening of Red Rain, leaving a strong emotional impression on international audiences.