Data from Box Office Vietnam show that while three Vietnamese films released during Tet 2025 earned a combined VND 564 billion, four titles this year had grossed VND 618.6 billion as of the evening of March 1.
Leading the box office is Tho oi, directed by Tran Thanh, which has taken VND 383.6 billion, about 55 per cent of total market revenue, and is the only film rated 18+ this season.
The remaining three films have also outperformed their counterparts from Tet 2025 in the same ranking positions.
Director Tran Thanh with the cast of "Tho Oi", the highest-grossing film of the Tet 2026 season.
Revenue outpaces craft
Despite the commercial boom, industry observers argue that Tet 2026 highlights a widening gap between market expansion and creative development.
Film critic Hoang Anh Tuan said the season reflected a transitional phase for Vietnamese cinema: rapid market growth coupled with persistent professional limitations.
“Production values, visuals and marketing have improved, but the long-standing weakness lies in screenwriting and narrative structure,” he said. “Most films still follow a direct storytelling model, relying heavily on dialogue, explicit psychological explanations and clearly stated messages.”
Many titles, he argued, resemble television dramas or stage plays more than cinematic works. “The Tet 2026 season shows the market has grown faster than creative capacity. Audiences are larger and revenues higher, but quality has not kept pace.”
Producer Cao Tung echoed that view, describing the pattern as typical of a seasonal market where Tet revenues can be at least three times higher than during regular periods.
“This is not a paradox but a structural feature of the holiday market,” he said. “Vietnamese Tet films are growing in audience breadth, not in artistic depth.”
Limited genre diversity
Comedy once again dominated the 2026 Tet lineup. While the shared “safe formula” boosted box office results, it also reduced diversity and experimentation.
Comparisons with larger markets highlight the contrast. In China, Lunar New Year releases are often positioned as national blockbusters spanning genres such as science fiction, action, animation and historical epics.
Producer Cao Tung cited examples including The Wandering Earth and Creation of the Gods I: Kingdom of Storms, which demonstrate the scale and ambition of China’s holiday releases.
"The Wandering Earth", a Chinese science fiction film, causes a sensation with over USD 300 million in revenue during the Tet season (Photo: Netflix).
In Hollywood, the Christmas season frequently features large-scale family or fantasy spectacles such as Avatar: The Way of Water, designed as cinematic events that offer audiences experiences beyond everyday life.
By contrast, Vietnamese Tet films largely revolve around familiar themes of family, romance, situational comedy and light melodrama. While not inherently flawed, this narrower genre range limits artistic and technical ambition.
Van Mai Huong and Quoc Anh in "Tho Oi".
Industry expectations
Dang Tran Cuong, head of the Cinema Department, said authorities hope Tet films can become a segment that is “both popular and up to standard”, contributing to the reputation of Vietnamese cinema.
He added that the department stands ready to support filmmakers and producers through policy communication, industry connections and professional activities.
Whether future Tet seasons can balance commercial momentum with creative breakthroughs remains an open question for Vietnam’s fast-growing film industry.