Amid the prevailing trend of entertainment films such as horror, comedy, and romance, several Vietnamese filmmakers are choosing to tell stories rooted in everyday life, addressing pressing social realities. Though considered a bold move, this approach aims to offer audiences a fresh cinematic experience while reflecting the sense of responsibility of those in the profession.
In mid-September, the People’s Public Security Cinema, in collaboration with Galaxy Group, released Tu chien tren khong (Sky battle) directed by Ham Tran, inspired by two hijacking incidents that occurred in Vietnam. The film introduced a new perspective to audiences and achieved notable success, grossing more than VND250 billion after nearly two months in theaters.
This week, the film Bay tien (Money trap) directed by Oscar Duong, premiering nationwide on November 21, hits cinemas. The film tackles deeply troubling issues including phone scams and other forms of high-tech crime. It is the first Vietnamese film to directly portray sophisticated fraud schemes that have victimized thousands. Rather than focusing solely on the investigative angle, the film highlights the psychological turmoil of victims - the panic of being ensnared in financial traps and the hidden struggles behind the scenes.
Closing out 2025, director Hoang Tuan Cuong introduced Thien duong mau (Blood Paradise), a film that explores the alarming issue of scams targeting Vietnamese workers seeking jobs abroad. Prior to this, several notable works had already demonstrated filmmakers’ commitment to socially relevant themes. Of these, Dem toi ruc ro (The brilliant darkness) of American director Aaron Toronto offered unique perspectives on the familiar subject of family ties meanwhile the film Live: Phat truc tiep (Live: Streaming) of director Khuong Ngoc shed light on the hidden realities of the livestreaming profession and Fanti of director Andy Nguyen exposed the darker sides of social media. Together, these films highlight the determination of Vietnamese filmmakers to engage with contemporary social issues through cinema.
Hang Trinh, producer of the film Money trap, expressed her hope that Vietnamese cinema will increasingly explore social issues, as this is almost inevitable in order to bring audiences fresh stories that avoid conventional paths. According to her, filmmakers cannot rely solely on market-driven innovation; they must be willing to take risks and reinvent themselves to provide audiences with diverse choices.
However, choosing such themes means filmmakers must accept significant challenges in attracting audiences to theaters. Moreover, producing films with strong elements of realism presents its own difficulties. For example, in Sky battle, there are some numerous issues namely how to reconstruct an aircraft in a way that was both authentic and suitable for filming, or how to stage intense, gripping action sequences while still preserving historical accuracy and human elements.
Faced with these challenges, each production team found its own solutions with the support of specialized agencies. In the film Money trap, the crew invested in designing a custom simulation application called DealZ, developed with input from the Department of Cybersecurity. The director also proactively consulted experts in accounting, finance and banking, as well as lawyers, to refine the script ensuring the story remains relatable to audiences while maintaining professional accuracy.
Meanwhile, for the film Sky battle, Lieutenant Colonel Tran Nam Chung, Director of the People’s Public Security Cinema, revealed that to guarantee precision, the crew transported nearly an entire real aircraft from northern Vietnam to Ho Chi Minh City. The plane, used as a training instrument by the Special Task Battalion under the Mobile Police Command of the Ministry of Public Security, was incorporated into the production.
