Choi voi" is one of the Vietnamese cinematic works with a strong personal imprint of director Bui Thac Chuyen in the late 2000s.
The film tells about the inner struggles, emotional desires and deadlock of people in contemporary society, through the complex relationship between the main characters.
The biggest highlight is that this is the first Vietnamese feature film selected to be officially screened at the 2009 Venice Film Festival - one of the three most prestigious film festivals in the world.
The film not only attracted attention with its distinct cinematic language but also received attention when it gathered a cast of rare famous actors at that time: Do Thi Hai Yen, Johnny Tri Nguyen, Pham Linh Dan and Nguyen Duy Khoa.
Johnny Tri Nguyen plays Tho - a romantic, pragmatic and lustful overseas Vietnamese who plays the role of "catalyst" pushing relationships into a precarious and deadlocked situation.
At that time, Johnny was an action star with hit movies like "The Rebel", "The Kiss of the Dead" and had appeared in Hollywood.
The actor shared: "The movie'Choi voi' has a special script, breaks the traditional genre and is really attractive to me.
After "Chơi vơi", he continued to succeed with "Bẫy Rồng", "Tèo em", and then gradually limited domestic activities. In 2023, Johnny appeared in the series "The Continental: From the World of John Wick".
Do Thi Hai Yen plays Duyen - a young woman living in a marriage lacking connection, full of inner turmoil and is the central character of the film. Previously, Hai Yen caused a stir when participating in an American film - "The Silent American".
After "Chơi vơi", Do Thi Hai Yen continued to shine in "Cánh đồng bất tận" (2010) and then gradually retreated backstage after marrying businessman Calvin Lam and having three children.
Most recently, Do Thi Hai Yen participated in "Quan Ky Nam" and is preparing to be released in theaters next September with "Ho Linh Trang Si".
Pham Linh Dan - a French-Vietnamese actress famous for "Indochine" (1992) and the César award, plays Cam, a mysterious, personal writer with a special relationship with Duyen. Linh Dan once refused invitations from abroad to return to Vietnam to participate in films because she was "conquered by the script and director". Her most recent role was in "The very private life of mister sim". In 2023, Linh Dan attracted attention when attending the Cannes Film Festival red carpet with a luxurious appearance.
Nguyen Duy Khoa (as Hai - a young, romantic and innocent musician) is a new face from singing (Sao Mai Diem Hen). To play the role, he has to learn to drive a taxi and swim. After "Choi voi", Duy Khoa gradually withdrew, focusing on business, event organization and a quiet family life.
Choi voi" is one of the films carefully selected to contribute to looking back at the face of Vietnamese cinema in 40 years of Doi Moi, within the framework of the program "The Face of Vietnamese Cinema 40 Years of Doi Moi" of the Organizing Committee of the 4th Da Nang Asian Film Festival (DANAFF IV).
