Entertainment
Tran Thanh's Lunar New Year film breaks advance ticket sales record

Tran Thanh's Lunar New Year film breaks advance ticket sales record

Feb 17, 2026

Hanoi [Vietnam], February 17: On the evening of February 16th, Tran Thanh shared the good news regarding his film project, "Tho Oi" (Oh, Little Rabbit), which he directed. This film broke the record for the highest number of advance ticket sales for a Vietnamese film to date, with over 130,000 tickets sold. Sharing about this milestone, Hari Won's husband couldn't hide his pride. He wrote on his personal page: "The first achievement of 'Tho Oi'. Tran Thanh and the team are grateful to the audience."
According to statistics from Box Office Vietnam , before its theatrical release, Tran Thanh's film "Tho Oi" (Oh, Little Rabbit) grossed over 14.8 billion VND from early sales. This figure puts the project leading among Vietnamese films released during the Lunar New Year. Competitors in the Lunar New Year film race include "Mui Pho" (3.4 billion VND), " Nha Ba Toi Mot Phong" (4.7 billion VND), and " Bau Vat Troi Cho" (1.5 billion VND).
Tran Thanh's viewpoint
Previously, Tran Thanh attracted attention when he shared about the pressure he felt regarding box office revenue after many years of making Lunar New Year films. The director believes that "films must be profitable to have money for future films." He added: "When I make a film, I want to win. Firstly, to know I'm doing the right thing. Secondly, to have the budget for future films. And thirdly, to convince the audience that I always create a polished product."
According to Tran Thanh, generating revenue for a film also stimulates the economy. The director expressed: "When audiences are willing to go to the cinema, we have the right to dream bigger dreams. For someone who has achieved success, success is temporary, but failure is also temporary. Falling down is a way to get back up."
Sharing with us about the pressure following the success of his blockbuster films, Tran Thanh frankly admitted: "The most demanding audience is called expectation." When expectations are too high, it's difficult for anything an artist does to satisfy everyone. That's why he chooses not to repeat himself.
If the film Mai has already created a special emotional impact, he wouldn't be foolish enough to create a similar work that audiences would have to compare. Because once people have fallen in love with a "character" like Mai , they will find it difficult to reciprocate that feeling for a comparable role model.
Facing comparisons in the Lunar New Year film race, Tran Thanh maintained an open-minded attitude. The director likened the market at this stage to a fair, where each filmmaker owns a separate booth. According to him, this is not a direct confrontation because each work is a different "dish," serving the distinct needs of the audience. "Someone sells phones, others sell tables or lamps-how can that be called a competition?" the director expressed his opinion.
Tran Thanh hopes that the participation of many filmmakers will make the market more vibrant. He cited the appearance of films from his colleagues as a positive sign. Impressive box office milestones of up to 700 billion VND, such as " Red Rain, " are a basis for investors to have more confidence and dare to venture into filmmaking. Instead of focusing on winning or losing, he hopes that everyone will produce quality products to develop together: "I really welcome all filmmakers, who knows, maybe we'll all win?"
Source: Thanh Nien Newspaper