Chinese fantasy animation hits Vietnamese theaters amid holiday surge

The Vietnamese version of the Chinese animated film Into the Mortal World, or Luofanchen, hit theaters in Vietnam on Friday, becoming the first film from the Chinese mainland to be released in the Southeast Asian country in six years, following Ne Zha.

Produced by Winsing Animation, a cultural entertainment company based in Guangzhou, the capital of Guangdong province, the film is inspired by the Chinese legendary love tale of the Cowherd and the Weaver Girl, or Niulang and Zhinyu.

The story follows the fantastical adventures of Niulang and Zhinyu's descendants, the siblings Jinfeng and Yulu, who work together to reclaim the 28 constellations and protect the human world.

Coinciding with the lucrative holiday season, the film is set to be shown on more than 300 screens across Vietnam, reflecting an explosive recovery of the film market in Southeast Asia, according to the producer.

Box office revenue in Southeast Asian countries is steadily growing at an annual rate of 5 to 6 percent, the producer said.

In the Vietnamese film market alone, the total box office surpassed approximately $185 million in 2024, setting a historical high, according to the Vietnamese box office platform Box Office Vietnam.

The Vietnamese market has been recognized by international media outlet Deadline as one of the fastest-growing film markets in Asia.

Releasing the film demonstrates the confidence of Vietnamese distributors in its quality and signifies the formal return of Chinese mainland films to the Southeast Asian market.

"The high-quality production standards are also key to its successful debut in the Vietnamese market," said Gu Yanmei, vice-president of Winsing Animation.

The film took five years to complete and features over 2,000 special effects shots.

"In a market where the demands for audiovisual experiences are increasingly high, the level of craftsmanship, comparable to top international studios, is a core selling point that attracts young local audiences to the cinema," Gu said.

Cultural similarity has also become a core advantage for Chinese films expanding into Southeast Asia, according to Gu.

"The story of the Cowherd and the Weaver Girl is widely known in Vietnam, and this shared mythology naturally lowers the barrier of understanding for local audiences," she said.

In terms of localization, Winsing Animation produced a Vietnamese-dubbed version and worked closely with local partners on all aspects, from translation and dubbing to marketing, to ensure the film aligns with the audiovisual preferences of Vietnamese audiences.

Before being screened in Vietnam, the film was released in theaters in more than 40 countries and regions, including Russia, Singapore, Australia, and Thailand.

It has also been featured at several international events, such as the Niigata International Animation Film Festival in Japan and the Fanhua Chinese Film Festival in Italy.