Specialty distribution company 3388 Films has set the Vietnamese family drama “Saint of Pho” (“Mùi Phở”) for international theatrical release from March 13th.
The film, which marks the directorial debut of Vietnamese entrepreneur and director Minh Beta, will be released in the US, UK, Germany, Norway, Czech Republic and Slovakia on the same day, before expanding to Poland on March 20th and Australia on March 26th. An international trailer has been released.
The film is about a pho master’s obsession with handpicking his young grandson to carry on his family’s famous noodle soup tradition, sparking a crisis within a multi-generational family. Production took place in the historic streets of Nam Dinh province and Hanoi’s Old Quarter, which is considered the birthplace of Pho culture in Vietnam.
“For me, pho is not just a dish, but also a symbol of Vietnam’s unique and distinctive culture. But this film goes beyond the story of food. Behind every bowl of pho there is hidden a whole world of everyday life: stories about people, family relationships and between generations, old and new, the desire to preserve tradition and the modern global It’s a story of the tension between the young and the old, of the need to accept a world that has changed. In many ways, this film is a snapshot of a rich culture, full of intimate relationships and intimate emotions. It’s a meaningful story of Vietnam, a story that speaks to a Vietnamese audience, but is also relatable and appealing to an international audience.”
The film stars Xuan Hinh, a comedian and folk theater performer who has spent more than 40 years building a reputation as the “King of Northern Comedy” in Vietnam. This will be her first feature film role as Mui. Hing has been a dominant presence on YouTube this year, with his music video “Bắc Bling” racking up nearly 300 million views, hitting No. 1 on the platform’s Top Debut Songs chart and rising to No. 2 on the Global Music Video Ranking, sharing chart space with Bruno Mars and Lady Gaga.
Rounding out the cast is Tu Tran, one of Vietnam’s most commercially successful actors with over 20 film credits. An accomplished artist, Tan Thanh Hien, a veteran of Cai Luong (Vietnamese traditional opera). and child actor Bao Nam. Also featured are Quoc Tuan, Ha Phuong, Thanh Phuong, Tien Loc, and Cuong Ca.
The film’s musical identity relies heavily on Vietnamese tradition. Director Minh Beta performs an original soundtrack, “Mùi Ký Ức”, built around the pentatonic scale and folk traditions of northern Vietnam. Producer Christian Ding Gurino (known internationally for his work with artists such as Sam Smith and Jessie J) also participated, creating the track “Rap Phở,” which sets Xuan Hin’s xẩm vocal style against a contemporary rap backdrop.
Minh Beta is the founder of Beta Group and Beta Cinemas in Vietnam. “Scent of Pho” is his feature debut.
Thien A. Pham, founder of 3388 Film, said, “When we come across a film project like ‘Cent of Pho’ that dares to be different, our senses get excited and excited. This is a rare regional film, shot on location in the birthplace of pho in Vietnam, and includes very specific production elements. ‘Cent of Pho’ is like pho in a bowl, simple and clear in appearance, culturally authentic in taste.”
3388 Films focuses on film and television content from Asia and Southeast Asia. Among its past releases was “Mai,” which became the first Vietnamese title to gross more than $2 million at the combined North American and European box office.
“Scent of Four” was produced by Beta Productions and released in Vietnam on February 17th.
Watch the international trailer here:
