On the evening of 5/9, director Dang Thai Huyen’s film became the second Vietnamese film to achieve this milestone. Tran Thanh's ‘Mai,’ released in early 2024, took 20 days to reach 500 billion dong.

The film maintains its appeal with over 5,000 screenings nationwide daily, three times more than the second-highest-grossing film, ‘Making Money with Ghosts Part 2’ (starring Hoai Linh and Tuan Tran), which was released around the same time. ‘Mua do’ is predicted to soon surpass ‘Mai’ (551 billion dong) to become the highest-grossing Vietnamese film in domestic box office history.

Cuong (right, played by Do Nhat Hoang), a revolutionary soldier in ‘Mua do,’ and Quang (Steven Nguyen). Photo: Film Crew

Cuong (right, played by Do Nhat Hoang), a revolutionary soldier in ‘Mua do,’ and Quang (Steven Nguyen). Photo: Film Crew

According to Box Office Vietnam, an independent box office observer, Hanoi audiences contributed the most to ‘Mua do’s’ revenue, accounting for one-third of the total. Hanoi also boasts the highest seat occupancy rate and ticket sales (approximately 1.5 million viewers). They believe ‘Mua do’s success will motivate northern filmmakers to invest more and release more films.

In 12 days, ‘Mua do’ broke numerous box office records. It became the first Vietnamese film to earn over 50 billion dong in a single day, surpassing the record set by ‘Mai.’ Dang Thai Huyen became the first Vietnamese female director to have a film gross over 300 billion dong.

Written by Chu Lai, the film is set in 1972 when the People's Army of Vietnam (PAVN) liberated Quang Tri province, the boundary dividing North and South Vietnam. Having lost this strategic location and facing the potential loss of Thua Thien province, the US reinforced the Army of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN) to retake Quang Tri, especially the ancient citadel, to negotiate a favorable treaty.

The ‘Mua do’ film crew (front row) interacts with the Hanoi audience on 1/9. Photo: Thanh Huyen

The ‘Mua do’ film crew (front row) interacts with the Hanoi audience on 1/9. Photo: Thanh Huyen

The script follows the 81-day battle to defend the citadel. The central character, Cuong (played by Do Nhat Hoang), is a Conservatory student, jovial and skilled in martial arts. He abandons his chance to study abroad to enlist in the army. During the battle in Quang Tri, Cuong fights alongside his squad: Ta (the squad leader), Binh, Tu, Hai, and Sen. They come from different backgrounds, with diverse personalities, but share the same goal of fighting for peace.

Over the past two years, revolutionary war films have gained significant attention, bringing a fresh perspective to the domestic film market. ‘Peaches, Pho, and Piano’ (2024), directed by Phi Tien Son and commissioned by the Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism, grossed nearly 21 billion dong, breaking even after almost three months. In April, ‘The Tunnel,’ directed by Bui Thac Chuyen and focusing on soldiers fighting in the Cu Chi Tunnels, earned 172 billion dong.

Music video for ‘Pain Amidst Peace’ (composed by Nguyen Van Chung) by Hoa Minzy, featured in ‘Mua do.’ Video: Hoa Minzy Official

Mai Nhat