A scene in Hai Phuong (Furie), a new action thriller produced and starring Ngo Thanh Van, scheduled to be in cinemas worldwide later this year, distributed by Arclight Films. (Photo VAA Studio)HCM City (VNS/VNA) - Movie star, director and producer Ngo Thanh Van’s latestaction thriller, Hai Phuong (officially called “Furie” in other markets), is onsale at the Marché du Film at the Cannes Film Festival 2018, which opened onMay 15.
The film is being distributed worldwide byleading international sales company Arclight Films, which also has the rightsfor a sci-fi thriller by director John Murlowski.
Hai Phuong is directed by Le Van Kiet of HoChi Minh City. It stars Van, known as Veronica Ngo, who was recently seen inthe blockbuster Star Wars: The Last Jedi as Tico’s sister, Paige, and Netflix’soriginal feature film Bright starring Will Smith and Joel Edgerton.
Van plays Hai Phuong, a gangster whoretired from a life of crime after the birth of her daughter.
She is not able to escape her violent pastafter her daughter is kidnapped. She is forced back into the underworld whichshe wants to leave behind to rescue her daughter from an infamousorgan-trafficking ring.
Hai Phuong includes action scenes byacclaimed action director Kefi Abrikh, who worked for the Hollywood hits JacsonBourne and Lucy.
The film’s producer Van hopes that Hai Phuongwill have a chance in the international marketplace in Cannes 2018.
Career
Van began her catwalk and singing career in2000 after returning home from Norway.
In 2005, she began acting by first playinga leading role in Rouge, a 13-part TV series by renowned Singaporean director JonathanFoo, in 2004. She was selected from 400 candidates from Asian countries.
Rouge was broadcast on MTV Asia, a cabletelevision channel broadcasting international music. It opened a door for herto become a movie star in the region.
In 2006, she played a leading role in DongMau Anh Hung (The Rebel), a kung fu film directed by Vietnamese-AmericanCharlie Nguyen.
The film won the Grand Jury Award at 2007Sharing Visions, a biennial international film festival for Vietnamesefilmmakers held in Los Angeles.
In 2015, she developed her career as amovie producer in the comedy Ngay Nay Ngay Nay (Once Upon A Time), aco-production between Van and her partner, Canadian-Vietnamese director CuongNgo.
In 2016, Van directed her first film, TamCam – Chuyen Chua Ke (Tam Cam - The Untold Story), a fantasy work based on afairy tale best know as the Vietnamese version of Cinderella.
The film was released in 37 cinemacomplexes nationwide and earned more than 70 billion VND (3.1 million USD) inticket sales.
Last year, her romantic comedy, Co Ba SaiGon (The Tailor), was screened and honoured at the 22nd Busan InternationalFilm Festival in Busan, the Republic of Korea.
The work is about Vietnamese women livingin Sai Gon (now HCM City) in the 1960s.
Producer Van used young directors Loc Tran andKay Nguyen, who both studied film in the US.
The film’s leading character, young actressNinh Duong Lan Ngoc of HCM City, was named Face of Asia at in the category AsiaStar Awards 2017.
Van and her studio, VAA, recently launcheda new film project on Vietnamese myths and folk stories.
The project, Than Dong Dat Viet (VietnameseProdigies), will use a comic series based on Vietnamese folk stories by youngartists of Phan Thi Company.
The project’s first film is expected tostart in December.
“I will bring all I’ve learned in Hollywoodto develop my career at home,” said 40-year-old Van.-VNA
VNA
