Rung The Mang (Survive) directed by Tran Huu Tan and produced by Hoang Quan, is Vietnam’s first film on the theme of survival. It is also the first Vietnamese feature film to premiere after the historic social distancing period in 2021.
The film is set in Tà Năng – Phan Dũng, a popular destination for backpackers located in three provinces: Lam Dong, Ninh Thuan, and Binh Thuan. During a trip, backpacker Kien gets lost and must face a survival battle alone in the forest. He faces hunger, injuries, and dangers from nature.
A HEAVY SPIRITUAL SURVIVAL STORY
In April and May 2020, the team introduced the first teaser poster and teaser trailer, which attracted many viewers with a survival story that had a spiritual element about a backpacker lost in Tà Năng – Phan Dũng. Despite not having a box office star, the film still became a hot topic on social media.
RELEASE DATE POSTPONED
Originally titled Tà Năng – Phan Dũng, the film was scheduled to be released on October 16, 2020. Due to Covid-19, the release date was postponed several times. Finally, the film was retitled Rừng Thế Mạng and scheduled to premiere on December 31, 2021. Therefore, this is Vietnam’s first film to premiere after the historic social distancing period in 2021.
TRAILER AND SOUNDTRACK
The main trailer was released in November 2021, still focusing on the survival and spiritual aspects.
Also that month, the team introduced the film’s theme song, the rap song “Muoi Nam” performed by Den Vau and Ngoc Linh.
APPROACHING AUDIENCES THROUGH DIVERSE CHANNELS
Rừng Thế Mạng faced many disadvantages due to the lack of a box office star and the changing release date. However, the film’s content was a strong point in terms of publicity, being fresh and intriguing.
- Media: 323 articles from more than 70 news agencies.
- OOH and In Cinemas: Posters and trailers were displayed at all theaters belonging to the Galaxy, CGV, BHD, and Lotte Cinema chains, as well as on LCD and digital frames at about 400 locations of universities, coffee shops, tea shops, and buildings around major cities such as Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi, Hai Phong, Da Nang, Dong Nai, Binh Duong, and Can Tho.
- Social media: High interaction rates and discussions from hot film communities, social networks, and digital cinema websites such as Galaxy Cinema, BHD Star Cineplex, CGV Cinemas Vietnam, Lotte Cinema, Cuong Phim Review, Fan Xi Ne Ma, Ra Rap Xem Gi?, and Phim Chieu Rap. The film’s official fanpage has more than 4,920,000 reaches.
PREMIERE
More than 800 artists, journalists, and partners attended the premiere of Vietnam’s first feature film after the social distancing period.
REVIEWS FROM THE PRESS
According to reviews from various Vietnamese news outlets, the film “Rừng Thế Mạng” received mixed reviews. Xuân Phúc of Zing praised the lead actor Huỳnh Thanh Trực’s performance, the cinematography, and the spiritual elements in the film, but criticized the film for being confused in its genre and not having enough horror elements.
Tam Kỳ of VnExpress also praised Huỳnh Thanh Trực’s acting, but criticized the first 30 minutes of the film for being too slow and the character development for not being deep enough. Meanwhile, Mi Ly of Tuổi Trẻ praised Huỳnh Thanh Trực’s performance in the film’s 20-minute-long solo scene, but also criticized the weak storyline and character development.
Despite difficulties caused by the pandemic, the film still achieved a decent box office performance, ranking second during its release after the blockbuster “Spider-Man: No Way Home”. The film was later acquired by Netflix for distribution in 13 countries.