The poster of "Glorious Ashes" movie.  

Vietnamese cinema made its fourth appearance at the “Box Office Around the World” summer film programme on August 9, with Director Thang Vu's "Mesdames Thanh Sac" screened for audiences at the Humboldt Forum, a major cultural venue in central Berlin, Germany.

The screening attracted considerable interest from film enthusiasts and the Vietnamese community in the German capital. It marked the fourth time Vietnamese films have been featured in the programme, following "The House of No Man" by Tran Thanh, "Glorious Ashes" by Bui Thac Chuyen, and "My Best Friend's Wedding" by Nguyen Quang Dung and Diep The Vinh in previous years.

"Mesdames Thanh Sac" takes audiences back to 1960s Saigon through the story of two women working in the entertainment industry, exploring themes of ambition, love, power and personal choices. The film also portrays a period of profound change in urban Saigon, featuring actors Hong Anh, Thanh Hang and Luong The Thanh, among others.

The film has drawn attention for its elaborate production design and costumes. Its depiction of nightclubs, music, lighting and dance, together with its character development, recreates a glamorous yet tense world of nightlife, revealing the pressures behind its lavish exterior.

Before the screening, audiences had an opportunity to meet Director Ngo Ngoc Duc and co-curators Dorothee Wenner and Truong Hong Quang. They discussed Vietnamese cinema, the filmmaking process and approaches to stories rooted in history, culture and urban life in Saigon.

Speaking to Vietnam News Agency (VNA) reporters, Wenner said she enjoyed the film and appreciated its portrayal of 1960s Saigon. She praised its production design, music, choreography and characterisation, saying these elements transported audiences back to a historical period that even many young Vietnamese today may find difficult to fully envision.

Wenner also noted that the film's portrayal of strong female characters could resonate with international audiences, including German viewers.

Co-curator Truong Hong Quang said “Box Office Around the World” is a summer outdoor film programme showcasing recent works that have attracted audiences in their countries of production but have yet to receive wide distribution in Germany.

The programme provides an opportunity for Vietnamese cinema to reach a broader international audience, he said, adding that stories told through Vietnamese films can serve as a cultural bridge bringing Vietnamese, German and international audiences together to discover the diversity of Vietnam through cinema.

This year's programme features films from six countries, namely Vietnam, Thailand, Argentina, Nigeria, Brazil and India. The repeated selection of Vietnamese films reflects growing interest from international organisers and audiences to Vietnam's cinema works./.