Several recent Vietnamese movie releases that got combined funding amounting to tens of billions of VND from the state budget, have failed miserably at the box office.
From late August to early September, five Vietnamese films were released in local cinemas, including “Mat Xac” or Body Lost, “Song Cung Lich Su” or Live with History, “Mo Gio” or Windy Tomb, “Dam Me” or Passion, and "Scandal 2 – Hao Quang Tro Lai" or Scandal 2 – Halo Returns. However, only two of the films, “Mat Xac” and “Scandal 2 – Hao Quang Tro Lai”, both privately financed saw any considerable returns.
Producers of the two privately funded films spent a large portion of their budgets on promotion before their openings.
Meanwhile, the three state-sponsored films failed to attract movie-goers, despite their large budgets. The “Song Cung Lich Su”, made by the Vietnam Film Studio and “Mo Gio” by Nha Phuong Films, were each granted VND400 million by the Cinema Department. These film openings were held on National Independence Day, September 2, at the National Cinema Centre.
“Song Cung Lich Su” cost VND21 billion but failed to sell tickets.
According to the centre, audience numbers dwindled to the point that they were forced to stop screenings.
"Dam Me” and “Song Cung Lich Su” were also shown at the Kim Dong Cinema for two weeks. These films cost the state budget between VND10 billion and VND20 billion each, but failed to sell any tickets.
Critics have commented that state-funded films are largely seen as unattractive, and that their producers do not pay enough attention on advertising and promotion.