Film that won the Golden Kite Award for grossing 2.6 billion VND upon its release sparks controversy.

Starting screening on July 15th,Wooden fish- The short film, less than 30 minutes long, by director Nguyen Pham Thanh Dat, quickly attracted attention, rising to the top of the Vietnamese box office with a revenue of 2.6 billion VND, temporarily surpassing even...brother.

However, alongside its impressive achievements, the film has also faced controversy regarding its social media promotion and its niche content.

On the official fan page of a cinema chain, a promotional post featuring an image of the male protagonist, Cuong, falling into the sea with a wooden guitar in his hand, was shared along with the caption:"No special effects. No stunt doubles. Just the real sea and a young person searching for their true passion," "One minute on screen is equivalent to four hours of real filming in the middle of the ocean. No studio, no CGI, just genuine willpower and real emotions."

According to the distributor, to get just one minute of screen time, the male lead actor had to film for four hours adrift at sea. These highly "inspiring" promotional claims immediately sparked controversy.

Many viewers argue that the scenes being used for promotion show signs of special effects manipulation – from the water colors and lighting effects to the schools of fish swimming in the frame, none of which could possibly be "naturally original." Numerous opinions on social media suggest that the Wooden Fish School is being over-promoted.

Amidst the controversy, Duc Nguyen, the communications director of Dan Ca Go (Wooden Fish Farm), shared the following with VTC News online:"This was a misunderstanding from a theater when they presented the content to the audience. As soon as we discovered the incident, we contacted them to correct the post. From the beginning, the 'Wooden Fish' team has never intended to use excessive PR or gimmicks."

We simply wanted to bring our artwork to the audience in the most authentic and relatable way possible. This is a major lesson in more thoroughly censoring content before releasing it to the public. The team sincerely apologizes for allowing the audience to receive inaccurate information."

Regarding the opinions thatWooden fishAlthough it's an art film that appeals to a niche audience, director Nguyen Pham Thanh Dat stated that the team chose to release it widely, noting that they didn't prioritize differentiating between the tastes of the general public and the professional judging panel.

The film was made from personal emotions and pure creativity. The decision to release it in theaters stemmed from the audience's interest and curiosity after the music video.A miracle.The director expressed hope that the film would become a catalyst for viewers to engage in self-reflection, tap into their passions, and find positive motivation in life.

Wooden fishThis film, which won the Golden Kite Award in 2024, tells the story of Cuong's inner journey – a young man from a coastal region torn between family responsibilities and his desire to pursue his passion. Despite being a short film under 30 minutes long, it makes a strong impression with its poetic imagery, realistic natural setting, and pure artistic spirit.

On its opening day, The Wooden Fish unexpectedly surpassed the blockbuster Superman to temporarily lead the Vietnamese box office. The film's initial success shows that the public still has room for academic works when they resonate with emotions and are conveyed sincerely.

Le Chi