Vietnamese film released in the US, Australia
Bo Gia (Dad, I’m Sorry), a Vietnamese film produced by TRAN THANH TOWN, was distributed in cinemas in the US and Australia on May 28 after its premiere in Malaysia and Singapore on April 22.
The film was released in California, Texas, Virginia, Georgia and New York.
In Australia, it was in cinemas in Brisbane and Sydney.
The film’s distributor, Thien Ngan (Galaxy) Studio, has announced it is working with its foreign partners to release Bo Gia in Asian countries such as Thailand, Indonesia and the Philippines.
Bo Gia portrays the life of an elderly xe om (motorbike taxi) driver living in Ho Chi Minh City who faces challenges earning money for his wife and two teenaged children.
The film is a new version of the most-viewed web drama (with the same name) in Vietnam in 2019. The five-episode series earned more than 90 million views, ranking as No 1 on trending on YouTube in Vietnam for the year.
Bo Gia features famous comic artists Tran Thanh and People’s Artist-theatre actress Ngoc Giau. Young actors Tuan Tran and Lan Phuong are also included.
The producer invested VND4 billion (US$172,000) in filming.
Its trailer attracted more than more than 2.7 million views on YouTube before and after screening between March and April.
The film earned VND10.6 billion (US$462,000) in ticket sales after its premiere on March 6. It earned VND22 billion (US$958,000) in one day after its official release.
It broke recent ticket sale records for Vietnamese films after earning VND400 billion (US$18 million), according to the film’s producer.
“My film features the culture and lifestyle of HCM City residents,” said actor Tran Thanh, owner of TRAN THANH TOWN, who plays the xe om driver.
Thanh hired film director Vu Ngoc Dang, who has 20 years of experience in the industry, to guarantee success for his film.