The problem is that the Oscar is not a contest for Best Foreign Film, but a fierce competition for global cinematic language, approaching strategies, and the ability to dialogue with the world.
What did Oscar choose?
Looking at recent years of Oscar's "Best International Film" category, it can be seen that there are some clear commonalities in the works that won or went deep. First of all, they are often films with a very clear cultural identity, but the story is popular. Parasite (roughly translated as Parasite - Korea) is about social stratification; Another Round is about the mid-life crisis; All Quiet on the Western Front is about war from the perspective of anti-war and de heldronization. No film requires viewers to "understand local culture" to feel it, but all of them originate deeply from their own context.
Next, Oscar's storytelling style is increasingly more restrained and sophisticated, rather than surface drama. Award-winning films rarely use major climaxes, but build emotions with rhythm, space and psychological depth of the characters. The camera does not impose emotions; the music does not lead too much; the message is not to be said loudly but to be discovered by the audience. And finally, Oscar-wards are often tested and screened at major international film festivals such as Cannes, Venice, Berlin, Toronto, etc. Oscar does not exist as an oasis, but is the end point of a long journey, where the films have been identified, debated, and evaluated by international critics in advance.
What does the "red rain" lack?
Red Rain is a typical case of the gap between domestic success and international competitiveness. The film has clear strengths: War theme, history, large production scale, tragic emotions and strong sympathy from Vietnamese audiences. However, Oscar prefers counter-expectations, multi-dimensional, and even skeptical. War in Vietnamese films is often considered a heroic poem despite its tragic nature; War in Oscar-winning films is a place where people are crushed, lost and disoriented. This difference is expressed through the storytelling language of cinema.
In addition, the character of Red Rain is not complicated enough for Oscar, the central character needs to have deep inner conflicts, have ethical choices, making viewers confused, even disagreeing. That gray area is where international cinema seeks.
Before attending the Oscar, Red Rain was almost absent from the map of the A-Class International Film Festival.
Need for a different strategic mindset
The fact that Vietnamese films have not been selected by Oscar for many years still lies in the thinking of making films and the goal from the beginning. Most of Vietnamese films are still produced with the number one priority being the domestic market: Revenue, media coverage and censorship safety. Meanwhile, films targeting major film festivals often accept higher risks, both in form and content. Another weakness is the script. Vietnamese film scripts are often strong in original ideas but weak in structure, rhythm and psychological depth. In major film festivals, scripts are not just a story, but a way to tell that story in cinema, where each scene has a reason to exist.
If they want to reach the top 15 Oscars, Vietnamese cinema needs a long-term strategy, instead of relying on sudden luck.
First of all, it is necessary to seriously invest in the scenario right from the project development stage, with the participation of international experts, with experience with large A-class hospitals in the world. Not to "Tradualize" the story, but to ensure that Vietnamese stories can dialogue with global audiences.
During the filming process and when releasing the pre-production, the participation of international judges in contributing opinions and advice is extremely important, to watch the film and give comments about the rhythm, emotional dropping points, and places that are too "local". Building a high school roadmap for a work also requires clear planning. A film aimed at Oscar should be released at major film festivals, creating critical buzz, before entering the award competition campaign. This requires manufacturers to understand international rules, from release strategy to communication.
Finally, a film ecosystem is needed to nurture long-term talents, where young directors are failures, are tested and exposed to international standards early.
Red Rain not entering the top 15 of the 2026 Oscars is not a failure of this film alone. It is an example that reflects a bigger question: Are we making movies to be loved domestically, or to be listened to in the world? When answering that question with specific actions, Vietnamese cinema will truly get closer to Oscar not by luck, but by ability.
