Hanoi [Vietnam], June 19: Returning to film after 6 years, Dinh Tuan Vu shared his thoughts on the changing market and also discussed the box office revenue of 'The Hermit Crab' after its release.
Director Dinh Tuan Vu marks his return to cinema with the project "The Hermit Crab" - a psychological drama featuring a cast including Quoc Truong , Tieu Vy, Anh Pham, Yen Dan, Xuan An, Nguyen Van Chung. Previously, he gained attention with films such as "Waiting for You Until Tomorrow," "Taxi, What's Your Name?", "The Life of Yen," "The Legend of Quan Tien," etc.
Dinh Tuan Vu's perspective on his profession.
From the completion of *Legend of the Fairy Inn* to the filming of *The Hermit Crab* , it took about six years. To achieve this transformation, Dinh Tuan Vu took time to observe life around him, reflecting on the stories and people he had experienced. While in the past he chose to tell stories he wanted to tell, now, when making films for a mass audience, Dinh Tuan Vu chooses to tell stories that people want to hear.
Upon his return, instead of choosing safe themes, Dinh Tuan Vu challenged himself with a new direction. Speaking about this, the director said that "The Hermit Crab" is not simply a matter of inner urge; it's a story he wants to tell and believes many others want to hear.
"They have many obstacles in life that they haven't been able to overcome. Perhaps when watching 'The Hermit Crab,' they will find empathy. I know it's a genre that very few people choose in Vietnam, but I want to bring something new and more diverse. Vietnamese audiences are very open-minded now, so they are completely comfortable accepting films of many different genres. It might be a risk, but I think that risk is worthwhile," the director confided.
According to Dinh Tuan Vu, casting for the film was a long and challenging process. However, his goal was to ensure the actors' personalities matched their characters. "For example , Tieu Vy had to go through several rounds of casting. I felt this character could portray two sides - a naive, playful girl, but then a different person with a deeper voice. Tieu Vy successfully portrayed both sides. Her presence also made the audience truly believe in the emotions of the character Quan, played by Quoc Truong, making the connection very natural," he explained.
Despite its many strengths, "The Hermit Crab" has failed to attract box office attention, only grossing over 15.7 billion VND. Dinh Tuan Vu readily admits that directors all aspire for their projects to reach the 100 billion VND mark. According to him, high revenue means more viewers will go to the theaters to support the film. However, with " The Hermit Crab ," the director is happiest that many viewers perceive a difference compared to " The Life of Yen" or "The Legend of the Fairy Inn," but they still see Dinh Tuan Vu's signature style.
"After more than a decade in the profession, I feel that my filmmaking style has become more distinct. I feel I have matured more after this project, thanks to the real-life feedback from the audience," he said.
According to the director, audience praise and criticism are lessons to learn from, allowing him to make adjustments for future projects. Speaking about the risks of filmmaking, the director feels fortunate to have investors who have provided feedback from the scriptwriting stage. "When making films, I see it as a journey to establish my name, to find audiences who empathize with the director, and from there, to find storytelling methods that are more accessible to other audiences," Dinh Tuan Vu frankly shared his professional perspective.
Source: Thanh Nein Newspaper