“I Want to Make International Films Instead of Staying in Vietnam”
As the first “billion-dollar director” in Vietnam, what mindset does Trấn Thành bring to the release of “The Four Guardians”?
– Many people ask me if I feel pressured to outperform my previous films. I never compare the success of my works because each film caters to its own unique audience.
With The Four Guardians, I simply wanted to offer a fun and light-hearted story that still carries enough weight for audiences to reflect on during the New Year.
Director Tran Thanh in an interview with Dan Tri (Photo: Cam Tien).
Why did you choose Quoc Anh, Ty Di, and Ky Duyen?
– Casting actors is always a challenge for me. I wanted to showcase three outstanding faces with international appeal. Looking at the movie poster, one wouldn’t know whether they’re Korean or Thai actors.
What I want to emphasize is that we can create excellent actors in Vietnam. I plan to continue this experiment with future films.
For a long time, I’ve been thinking about what I’ll do when I’m older and run out of ideas—I’ll focus on training. Currently, Vietnamese cinema lacks actors who are both good-looking and talented. Typically, Vietnamese actors either look great but don’t act well, or they act well but don’t look great.
How far do your ambitions reach?
– I want Vietnamese films to be exported globally rather than just staying within the country. I want our cinema to compete with developed markets. It’s a shortcoming that audiences prefer Korean or Thai films over Vietnamese ones.
Tran Thanh also takes on an acting role in “The Four Guardians” (Photo: Film production team).
With a film as entertaining as “The Four Guardians,” how do you prepare for criticisms of it being “cheap comedy” or “easy laughter”?
– I don’t consider The Four Guardians a cheap comedy. At least, I don’t create easy or frivolous laughs. Every laugh in the film has a story behind it and resonates with real-life situations.
I always believe that no matter how much the film makes you laugh or cry, it should convey a meaningful message to the audience. Of course, there are times when we don’t do our best, but it will never be terrible. For any film that isn’t perfect, I will review and improve for the next one.
“If You Don’t Have Anything Special, It’s Time to Accept Defeat”
Making films can lead to wealth or bankruptcy. What do you think about this risk?
– Let’s not focus on whether making films makes you rich or poor. If you say you make films without expecting revenue, you’re lying. Whether artistic or commercial, everyone wants their film to sell tickets and earn profits. Even art films need to break even to fund future projects.
How risky are you willing to go in this field?
– A filmmaker’s only duty is to do their best and put their heart into it. If you lack the ability, don’t take unnecessary risks. This is a high-risk game where you have only three days to decide the fate of your investment.
Within the first three days after a film’s release, I can usually tell if it will succeed or fail. No matter how much you promote, ticket sales cannot lie. Even Box Office Vietnam’s algorithms can calculate daily earnings accurately.
I believe that with knowledge and capability, we should work together to improve the market. Otherwise, this experience won’t be pleasant (laughs). Making a film now typically requires around $1 million (25 billion VND). In just three days, the effort and $1 million can vanish!
“The Four Guardians” by Tran Thanh became the box office hit of the Tet holiday (Photo: Film production team).
A famous critic predicted “The Four Guardians” would earn 600 billion VND. What do you think about this prediction?
– Reaching out to intellectuals is very difficult. I am grateful and appreciative of such comments. I hope audiences come to watch the film for entertainment, without putting too much pressure on it.
Director Nguyen Quang Dung called Tran Thanh the “king of understanding women and family” after the premiere of “The Four Guardians.” How do you feel about that?
– Throughout my life, I’ve never claimed to be a king because that title comes with great responsibility. However, I accept the latter part, as I do understand women quite well. I’ve experienced many relationships and deeply respect them.
What do you think about the saying “Women who wear lipstick don’t fight”?
– Watching clips of fights online, I don’t understand why people resort to violence. There’s no justification for hitting someone, whether they hurt you or are a new third party.
When someone no longer loves you, the best thing to do is let go. Then, move forward, love yourself, and find someone who loves you more.
It seems that women are often harsher on each other. In every fight, they target other women rather than their partners. Why not focus on becoming better versions of yourselves? If you don’t have anything special, it’s time to accept defeat.
Tran Thanh aims to inspire women to live positive lives and love themselves (Photo: Facebook profile).
“What’s False Will Be Exposed Over Time”
Are you passionate about the message that women should step out, reinvent themselves, and pursue their own dreams?
– In any relationship, whether love or marriage, we must give each other value. If living together doesn’t make us better, why blame others for leaving? Good men will stop loving before moving on, while bad men cheat before breaking up. But why do women push men to leave? Sometimes, the situation needs to be viewed from multiple angles. People may be bad, but there’s also a contribution from ourselves.
During times of worry about a partner’s infidelity, why don’t women seek happiness, improve themselves, and become more valuable in their partner’s eyes? When you are valuable, your partner will try to keep you.
How do you practice this philosophy in your relationship with Hari Won?
– My wife and I remind each other daily that we still care for each other and are still good. I always make her feel loved. We cherish each other and strive to be better in each other’s eyes. That’s how we maintain our marriage.
If we neglect each other, time will make us drift apart. Without outside interference, the relationship will still break down.
Tran Thanh and Hari Won have maintained a strong relationship for 8 years despite numerous controversies (Photo: Facebook profile)
In “The Four Guardians,” Quynh Anh and Quoc Anh had to perform happily on a live stream while their relationship was on the brink of ending. Have you ever faced a similar situation?
– The proudest thing in my life is that I always stay true to my emotions. I never pretend or hide anything from the public.
Not everything we don’t share with the public means we’re lying. We simply choose what to share and what to keep private.
My wife and I argue like any couple. In the first six months of our marriage, we fought to understand each other’s cultures. Since then, I proudly say we have a quality marriage.
What defines a quality marriage for you?
– We don’t shout at each other daily. Our arguments are counted on one hand. I’m grateful for having a thoughtful, understanding wife who shares my goals.
So, I’m not struggling to play the role of a loving husband (laughs). What’s false will be exposed over time. How can anyone sustain a facade for ten years?
People ask if I signed a prenup, I joke that I signed it for three or ten lifetimes (laughs). Those who constantly criticize others’ unhappiness should first examine their own happiness.
I believe if people are happy, they will trust in others’ happiness. Otherwise, they’ll assume others are pretending. Let’s trust each other a little, at least until the truth comes out (laughs).
In 2024, Tran Thanh also gained attention for hosting the popular show “Brother Drunk” (Photo: Facebook profile)
Looking back at 20 years in the industry with many successes, what insights have you gained?
– When success comes, I don’t let myself get overwhelmed. I never think success lasts forever. You can’t use today’s achievements to predict tomorrow. Life is always changing, and we must learn to adapt. Today I have everything, but tomorrow I might lose it all.
People say “Vietnamese entertainment depends on Tran Thanh.” What do you think about this?
– Don’t place such heavy responsibilities on me regarding the Vietnamese entertainment industry. I don’t carry that burden; I’m not the leader. I always see myself as small, contributing to make the industry better and more civilized.
Regarding achievements, I don’t focus on numbers. With The Four Guardians, as long as the revenue isn’t terrible, the rest is up to fate.
Thank you for sharing!
Tran Thanh (born 1987) started his career in 2005, working in various roles as an actor, MC, producer, and director. He directed several box-office hits like Bo Ba, House of Aunt Nu, and Mai.
