On the film race this year, there are 23 films competing in the competition, gathering many high-grossing works such as " Geography: Sun in the dark", "Detective Kien: The Unheard Project", "Billionaire kiss", "The Death in the Air", "Red Rain" ... but there are no "The Four Guardians" and "Flip Side 8".
At the launching event of the 12th Green Star Awards, the organizing committee spent a lot of time explaining questions related to the nomination list and the award ceremony. The head of the organizing committee Lam Chi Thien said that both "The Four Guardians" and "Flip Side 8" were reviewed, highly appreciated by the appraisal council and sent invitations to participate. However, up to now, Ly Hai's crew has not responded, and Tran Thanh proactively asked not to participate because he thought the work was not suitable for this year's season.
Director, People's Artist Dao Ba Son - a member of the jury, said that Tran Thanh and Ly Hai's lack of participation was just a coincidence, within the specific strategy of each filmmaker.
The representative of the judges also affirmed that there were no problems or disagreements between the organizing unit and the artist.
Tran Thanh's decision to "stand out" of the 2025 Green Star season attracted attention because before that, he was a familiar face and had won many major awards at this award. In 2021, "Bo Gia" helped Tran Thanh almost "sweep" the film category. He was honored as a Favorite Actor and Outstanding Film Co-Director, while the crew received additional awards for supporting actors and films, creating a bumper season.
In the 2023 season, Tran Thanh continued to affirm his position as a popular director with "Nha Ba Nu". The film brought him the award for Best Film Director, and at the same time contributed to helping the work be named in the Best Film award, along with a number of other acting categories. For two consecutive seasons, Tran Thanh's name has been associated with the image of films that have both become box office hits and been recognized at awards.
In the 2024 Green Star season, Tran Thanh did not receive an individual trophy, but Mai - the film he directed was awarded the Best Feature Film award. This achievement continues to strengthen his position in the genre of romantic and family films, where everyday stories are told in cinematic language that are easy to reach the majority of audiences.
On the basis of that achievement, the absence of the " Four Guardians" in the 2025 season creates an even clearer comparison. The film once attracted attention when released in theaters thanks to its high revenue, but also faced many controversies about the content and character building. The choice to withdraw from the nomination list is a strategic decision, instead of reacting negatively to mixed opinions or any pressure from the outside.
This year, the Green Star award has expanded its nomination system to 741 nominations, awarding 32 prizes in 4 categories, of which 19 prizes were voted by the art council and 13 prizes were voted by the audience.
