The relationship between Vietnamese and American cinema
Remember last year, “A Tourist’s Guide to Love” - a Hollywood movie filmed almost entirely in Vietnam, also the first foreign film filmed in Vietnam after the COVID-19 pandemic with a setting spanning from Hanoi to Da Nang, Hoi An, Ho Chi Minh City and Ha Giang, attracting global audiences.
Released on April 21, 2023, the film quickly created a fever and became the most watched English film on Netflix with 20.92 million hours from April 24 to 30, 2023. The film's story is very simple, nothing too dramatic, but the simple, authentic acting of the actors and the appeal of Vietnamese scenery, culture, and customs are the highlights of the film.
Going back in time, 7 years ago, the first Hollywood blockbuster filmed in Vietnam cost about 190 million USD: “Kong: Skull Island” directed by Jordan Vogt-Roberts. At that time, the film immersed international audiences and even Vietnamese audiences in the beautiful, wild, majestic, mysterious natural landscapes of Ninh Binh, Quang Binh and Ha Long from Tu Lan cave, Phong Nha cave, Trang An eco-tourism area, Van Long lagoon and the world natural wonder complex of Ha Long Bay.
Some newspapers quoted location scout Leann Emmett as saying, “We chose Ninh Binh immediately when we came here to survey because the rock structures here are so beautiful, so unique, we cannot find a similar place anywhere else in the world.” And then, director Jordan Vogt-Roberts was also invited to be Vietnam Tourism Ambassador for the 2017-2020 term.
On the other hand, at the end of March 2024, the press reported that "Mai" was Tran Thanh's third film to gross over 1 million USD after being released in 9 countries including the US and European countries.
Previously, two other films by Tran Thanh, “Bo Gia” and “Nha Ba Nu”, were released in the US and “Bo Gia” currently holds the record for the highest-grossing Vietnamese film in the US with 1.3 million USD, but it is likely that “Mai” will break the “Bo Gia” record. Regarding actors, some Vietnamese stars have participated in some Hollywood films, notably “action actress” Ngo Thanh Van, Nhung Kate, Maggie Q (Ly My Ky), Johnny Tri Nguyen, Dustin Nguyen…
A Potential Destination for Hollywood Filmmakers
For Vietnam to have a film industry, a film must be both a work and a product, and can be sold on the market. And filming locations can completely become ideal check-in points for tourists who want to experience reality, such as the two films by Victor Vu "I see yellow flowers on green grass" and "Mat biec" which have increased the number of tourists to Phu Yen and Hue.
A series of recent seminars on the close relationship between cinema and tourism have been held. Facilities and settings that can be used as film studios have been planned in Phu Yen, Nha Trang and Da Lat... Some cities with geographical and historical advantages such as Nha Trang and Hue are striving to become film cities like Cannes (France) or closer to home, Busan (Korea)...
The Vietnamese film market is growing strongly with a huge source of revenue for investors and distributors, with over 70% of imported films being American films... As well as the international film festivals held in Vietnam are becoming more and more popular, from Haniff - Hanoi International Film Festival, Asian Film Festival - Da Nang to Ho Chi Minh City International Film Festival...
American filmmakers certainly cannot ignore a fertile and potential market like Vietnam. The problem is that promoting Vietnamese beauty needs to be done systematically and with a long-term strategy, and the Vietnam Tourism - Cinema Promotion Program in the United States this September is one such activity.
The Vietnam Tourism - Cinema Promotion Program in the United States, organized by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, is scheduled to take place from September 23 - 25, 2024 in San Francisco and Los Angeles, California, USA with the theme "Vietnam - New Destination of World Cinema". The program aims to open up new opportunities to promote the image of the country, people and culture of Vietnam through cinema...
* Mr. Ho An Phong - Deputy Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism - said that the Vietnam Tourism - Cinema Promotion Program in the US is expected to have the participation of many famous directors, film studios, film companies and influential Hollywood actors.
“In this promotion trip, we set a number of goals as follows. Firstly, this is an opportunity for Vietnam to introduce the image of the country, people, filmmaking context, tourism, cooperation... In particular, this time we will promote tourism products, culture, and national brands. Secondly, focus on connecting businesses, taking businesses as the main subject. Initially, there will be 5 contracts signed during this promotion trip, in which localities commit to sponsor and have a mechanism to support American film crews. It is expected that there will be American film promotions in Vietnam in the near future.
I think that State management is very important in the upcoming program to promote Vietnamese Tourism and Cinema in the US."
* Mr. Nguyen Trung Khanh - Director of Vietnam National Tourism Administration - commented that the program aims to introduce and promote tourist destinations, potential filming locations, attract Hollywood film studios to Vietnam to film films with great appeal, capable of creating international media effects, promoting and attracting tourists to Vietnam.
Regarding the differences, there are 3 contents that this program aims at: The program's activities are innovated, organized in a diverse chain with the connection of tourism promotion with cinema, culture, cuisine, creating a high spillover effect; Deploying and organizing the program to ensure progress, efficiency, high professionalism, with the participation and contribution of large corporations, businesses, partners in terms of ideas, consulting and finance; Creating conditions for tourism, air transport, cinema, and media businesses to meet, cooperate and promote trade between two potential markets...
