Thuy Phan/Nguoi Viet
WESTMINSTER, Calif. – Martial arts and bowls of soup are an unlikely pairing but the filmmakers behind “Kung Fu Pho”, think they have a recipe for success with their film at the Vietnamese International Film Festival. This year, VIFF will be held at AMC 30, the Outlets of Orange and will run from April 14-17. Hang Le Minh Trinh, 34, who served as the Executive Producer of “Kung Fu Pho” said their inspiration for the movie was simple.
Executive producer Hang Trinh and actor Tien Pham stopped by Nguoi Viet Daily News to talk about their film “Kung Fu Pho”. (Photo: Thuy Phan/Nguoi Viet)
“Our biggest dream is to bring the Vietnamese culture and food to the mainstream and expose the world to it,” Trinh said. “There are a lot of ideas, and it comes down to what the audience wants.”
In Vietnam, Trinh says the general population likes comedy and action so with “Kung Fu Pho”, they mixed the two.
“Just from the title you can tell it’s funny and a type of action film,” Trinh said.
Vietnamese-American actor Tien Pham, 37, who is a resident of Los Angeles, said this movie appeals to foodies.
“There are food lovers all over the world and we wanted to find a marriage of those two and create something cinematic in the story,” said Pham. “I want people to watch it and get hungry. We even had special cameras for the pho shots and wanted people to be mesmerized by it.”
“Kung Fu Pho” will be playing on Friday, April 15 at 2:30pm. (Photo: Thuy Phan/Nguoi Viet)
The film had a budget of $600,000, and took some time to cast due to scheduling conflicts. Pham said to prepare for his role, he had to gain 10 pounds, which meant he had to constantly eat and workout in the hot humidity that Vietnam is well known for.
“What drew me a lot to this role was not only the script, but the chance to go back to the place I was born,” Pham said. “My role in the film has a good heart but is misunderstood. I play the viet kieu (expatriot) who goes back to Vietnam to learn the art of pho. I go through a journey of manipulation, deception, charm, wits and kung fu to get what I desire, and that is the ultimate cooking recipe for pho.
This film, which was directed by Nguyen Quoc Huy, was released a year ago in Vietnam. It was accepted into VIFF and will also make an appearance at the Venice International Film Festival later in May.
“In general, market competition is tough in Vietnam,” Trinh said. “Now the number of movies released in Vietnam is greater, so each movie should have something outstanding about them. In the movie, we don’t teach the audience how to cook pho, but you will see tips and ingredients on how to make pho. One funny message from the movie is if you’re good at kung fu, you will make good pho because you put all your energy and chi into it.”
VIFF opens on Thursday, April 14 and will run until April 17. (Photo: VIFF)
Whether or not that is true, remains to be seen. For Pham, working on the movie gave him new perspective on one of Vietnam’s most popular dishes.
“To really enjoy a good bowl of pho, it takes more than just hot water,” Pham said. “It takes a lot of love to go into a bowl of pho for you to enjoy it. Maybe one day I will open up my own franchise of pho restaurants and name it after the movie.”
“Kung Fu Pho” will be playing on Friday, April 15 at 2:30pm. To find out more, you can go to http://www.vietfilmfest.com/movie/kung-fu-pho/.
