HÀ NỘI — Án Mạng Karaoke (Karaoke Murder) will become the first Vietnamese film to premiere simultaneously in Việt Nam and international markets across four continents, including Asia, Oceania, the Americas and Europe, according to distributor 3388Films.

The film will officially open in Việt Nam on October 30, followed by simultaneous releases over the same Halloween weekend in Japan, Taiwan (China), Australia, New Zealand, the UK, Germany, France, Norway, the US and Canada.

Directed by emerging filmmaker Hoàng Lê in his feature debut, the film has Võ Thanh Hòa as its creative director. Blending comedy, suspense and mystery, the film follows the classic whodunit premise of identifying a killer among a group of suspects.

The story begins with a group of people travelling to the mountains on a pilgrimage in search of spiritual healing. Their journey takes a dark turn when Thủy, played by actress Vân Dung, a karaoke enthusiast in the group, is murdered.

Tâm, played by Đoàn Thiên Ân, takes on the role of an amateur detective to investigate the crime, gradually uncovering secrets and suspicious connections among the other members.

The film, which began advance screenings on October 21, has topped the domestic box office, ending the more than three-week run of Trại Buôn Người (The Journey of Heroes) at the top, according to Box Office Vietnam.

Thien A. Pham, founder of 3388Films, said Vietnamese films had previously been released simultaneously at home and in the US, while others had reached multiple continents after their domestic debuts.

However, Án Mạng Karaoke is the first Vietnamese film to launch simultaneously in the domestic and international markets, he said.

He described the release strategy as a breakthrough that could expand the horizons and opportunities for Vietnamese and Asian cinema.

“We believe that synchronising domestic and international release schedules can help films generate greater reach and stronger media momentum,” Pham said.

Creative director Võ Thanh Hòa said karaoke was an integral part of the social and cultural life of many Vietnamese people, although the pastime could also spark arguments and disputes between neighbours, particularly when singing continued beyond the 10pm quiet-hour limit.

Speaking to US entertainment publication Variety, Hòa said he hoped the film would resonate with a wide range of audiences, not just overseas Vietnamese.

“I hope overseas Vietnamese will feel a little taste of home when watching the film. I also hope international audiences will leave cinemas more curious about Vietnamese cinema and perhaps think twice before picking up a karaoke microphone next time,” he said.

The film features Đoàn Thiên Ân, MC Đại Nghĩa, Thanh Sơn, Tiêu Bảo Quốc and Tuyền Mập, among others. — VNS