3 Vietnamese films "play big" with the setting

Ly Hai built a house from scratch

Flip Side 8: The Sun's Arms revolves around the family of Mr. Phuoc (Long Dep Trai) consisting of three generations living in the dry and windy land of Central Vietnam. The simple house is not only the place where generational conflict arises between Mr. Phuoc and his son Tam (Doan The Vinh), but also the place where the artistic dreams of Tam and his younger sister Phuc (Hong Thu) are nurtured.

boi canh lat mat 8 3.jpg — *The main character's house scene in Lat mat 8 was completely built by the crew. Photo: DPCC*

The main scenes were filmed in Ninh Thuan and Binh Thuan. The house in the film was completely rebuilt by Ly Hai and his crew in Bau Trang (Binh Thuan) to truly recreate the lives of local people. From the goat pen, chicken coop, fence to the well and surrounding trees, all were meticulously designed to suit the sunny and windy countryside setting.

In particular, all the items in the house go through the process of "buying new and exchanging old", helping the setting to be both realistic and tinged with time. Thanks to that, the setting in the film becomes the most authentic and closest to the real life of the people in the windy and sandy land.

boi canh lat mat 8 2.jpg — *Every little detail is taken care of by the crew to be authentic. Photo: DPCC*

From an empty lot on a sand hill, the crew created an emotional living space, clearly showing the contrast between the artistic aspirations of the young generation and the worries and concerns of parents.

Flip Side 8: Vong Tay Nang will have early screenings from April 27 before officially being released in theaters from April 30.

Journey to find the death stone lake

Under the Lake – the new horror film by director Tran Huu Tan and producer Hoang Quan – has just revealed the first behind-the-scenes video, recounting the journey of being “found by the lake” while hunting for the setting. Inspired by urban legends and the idea of “doubles” – the hidden self within each person, the film creates a mysterious underwater world, where wild beauty and danger coexist.

boi canh duoi day ho 1.jpg — *The team at the bottom of the lake surveyed many stone lakes before choosing the desired setting. Photo: DPCC*

The main filming location was the ancient stone lake in Ba Ria - a former stone quarry, with rugged terrain, beautiful yet dangerous deep blue water. Here, the crew not only found the ideal setting but also felt that "the lake is like a living entity", reflecting the human soul through mysterious doubles.

Behind-the-scenes video reveals the second “lake level” – an expansive, magical space of the world below, where elements such as moss ghosts and doppelgangers are staged without overusing special effects to create a sense of realism.

Director Tran Huu Tan shared: “The lake is a special character. It does not need dialogue or expression, but is present as a silent but powerful shadow, always following every movement of the characters.”

boi canh duoi day ho 3.jpg — *The film crew showed great effort in terms of visuals. Photo: Producer*

Producer Hoang Quan also emphasized a social message: the beautiful rock pools are enchanting but always pose a danger – especially when young people carelessly approach them. The bottom of the pool is not only a journey to face fear, but also a warning about the dangerous beauty that people sometimes have to learn to stop and just admire from afar.

Under the Lake is scheduled to premiere on June 6.

Director Victor Vu spent 6 months looking for the setting for Detective Kien.

The crew of Detective Kien: The Headless Case has just revealed the arduous 6-month journey to find the setting for the film. Actor - Producer Dinh Ngoc Diep called this the "longest journey" the crew has ever made - traveling from the Northwest to the Northeast, traveling hundreds of kilometers to hunt for suitable scenes for the ancient - mysterious atmosphere.

boi canh tham tu kien 1.png — *The ancient village will appear in Detective Kien. Photo: Producer*

boi canh tham tu kien 4.png — *Picturesque waterfall in the movie. Photo: DPCC*

Many famous landmarks such as Ban Cai Lake (Tuyen Quang), Co La Waterfall, Vinh Quy Grass Hill (Cao Bang)... appear like a watercolor painting. Notably, all the flower hills in the film were planted in real life, minimizing special effects. To find a waterfall that was both discreet and suitable for filming, the crew had to survey up to 20 waterfalls, traveling by many means of road and water.

Another highlight is the town in the film – a 200-300 year old village with a rare original structure – where director Victor Vu affirmed: "Filming in a village hundreds of years old brings me inspiration. Not only the audience, but also the actors will have more emotions when living in a place with such an atmosphere."

With just one house, the crew "magically" transformed it into 12-15 different settings, surprising the entire cast.