'Red Rain' competes for Oscar 2026

Poster of the movie Red Rain. Photo: Provided by the film crew — Poster of the movie "Red Rain". Photo: *Provided by the film crew*

On September 30, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism announced that it had selected director Dang Thai Huyen's work to compete in the preliminary round of the Best International Feature Film category - the 98th Oscars organized by the American Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.

According to the management agency, this is a "special event, affirming the integration efforts of Vietnamese cinema on the world's largest cinema playground".

Previously, the Ministry established a National Council to select films to participate in the 2026 Oscar Preliminary Round. The Council consists of five members who are managers, artists, directors, producers, and screenwriters. The Chairman of the Council is Mr. Dang Tran Cuong - Director of the Department of Cinema.

The film, written by writer Chu Lai, is set in 1972, when the Liberation Army of South Vietnam had completely conquered Quang Tri province - the border that temporarily divided the North and South. Having lost its strategic base and facing the risk of losing Thua Thien province, the US provided additional equipment for the Army of the Republic of Vietnam to counterattack and retake Quang Tri, especially the ancient citadel, in order to force the signing of an agreement that was favorable to them.

After a month of release, the film attracted more than 8.1 million viewers, the highest number of viewers in the history of the domestic box office. In the final days, the film maintained about 8-10 shows in large theaters, all sold out. By September 28, Red Rain had a revenue of 710 billion VND, the highest-grossing film.

The producer's representative - Colonel Nguyen Thu Dung, director of the People's Army Cinema - said that the film's revenue "exceeded expectations". The crew was happy that Red Rain went beyond the framework of a movie to become a cultural event, inspiring the audience. According to director Dang Thai Huyen, the film contributes a small part to reaffirming the position of war and revolutionary films in the flow of modern Vietnamese cinema.

The film was invested in meticulously from the pre-production stage, with a grand setting and many large battle scenes. The producer did not disclose the investment amount, but experts estimated the film's budget to be up to hundreds of billions of VND. The crew built a 50-hectare studio on the banks of the Thach Han River. During filming, the crew used modern machinery and lighting systems. In many scenes, the director of photography used up to seven cameras.

The Oscars - the annual awards of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences - are the most famous and prestigious film event in the world. The 98th Academy Awards ceremony will be broadcast on March 15, 2026. The shortlist for the Best International Feature Film category will be announced on December 16, and the final five nominations will be announced on January 22, 2026.

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Source: https://baohaiphong.vn/mua-do-tranh-giai-oscar-2026-522206.html