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Hang Be Street (Hanoi) - Film "Peaches, Pho and Piano"
In recent days, the film "Peach, Pho and Piano" has become a phenomenon in the Vietnamese film industry, consistently selling out tickets during the Lunar New Year film season. At times, the National Film Center's website even crashed due to the surge in ticket purchases. On February 22nd, Beta Media and Cinestar officially began selling tickets for "Peach, Pho and Piano," and will donate all proceeds to the State.
"Peach, Pho, and Piano" is set against the backdrop of the 60-day and 60-night Đông Xuân battle in Hanoi from late 1946 to early 1947. The story follows Văn Dân, a militiaman, and his love affair with Thục Hương, a young lady passionate about piano. While others evacuated to the war zone, they decided to hold their ground in the bomb-ravaged capital, despite the dangers that awaited them. The film also tells the story of an old painter, a pho vendor couple, a young shoeshine boy, and more.
"Peach, Pho, and Piano" is set against the backdrop of the 60-day and 60-night Đông Xuân battle in Hanoi, which lasted from late 1946 to early 1947.
The film crew did not use real locations but spent nearly half a year constructing and designing a replica of Hanoi's Old Quarter in the 1940s on an area of nearly 6,000 square meters.2with grocery stores, tailor shops, eateries, tram carriages… and the old fortifications. And notably, few people know that the film's setting is based on the original houses on Hang Be Street.
Therefore, perhaps anyone living in Hanoi will catch a glimpse of the scenes in the film, which are both strange and familiar. Perhaps, while watching the film, you also feel as if you've walked through those streets on screen before. And it's hard to imagine that those streets, once ravaged by bombs and bullets, are now so simple and peaceful…
Few people know that the setting for the film "Peach, Pho and Piano" is based on the original houses on Hang Be Street.
An Binh Apartment Building (Ho Chi Minh City) - Film "Mai"
Located at the corner of An Binh and Tran Hung Dao streets (District 5, Ho Chi Minh City), the 122 An Binh apartment building appeared in the film "Mai" - a blockbuster hit by Tran Thanh during the Lunar New Year of the Year of the Dragon. Exploring generational conflicts within a family, "Mai" offers a perspective on vulnerable women who suffer disadvantages in life.
Like his previous films, Tran Thanh's movie "Mai" also features familiar settings, bringing the authentic atmosphere of everyday life in Ho Chi Minh City to the big screen.
Located at the corner of An Binh and Tran Hung Dao streets (District 5, Ho Chi Minh City), the 122 An Binh apartment building appeared in the film "Mai".
Initially, Tran Thanh and his team planned to use the An Binh apartment building, with its unique and antique-looking architecture, as the filming location. However, to film there, they had to install a long crane, transport the camera up the stairs to the upper floors, and stretch tarpaulins to cover the entire common area. Even so, the actual setting was still too cramped and did not allow for close-up shots inside the apartment.
Therefore, director Tran Thanh decided to recreate the entire apartment building at a 1:1 scale on the film set. The film crew recreated the hallway area, the six facades of the apartment building, as well as the two fully furnished apartments belonging to Duong and Mai.
When watching the film, viewers will likely notice the director's intention in choosing a classic house with warm tones and furnishings like a piano, bookshelves, picture frames, and a birdcage to reflect Duong's romantic, artistic soul. In contrast, Mai's house features bright, minimalist colors but is meticulously neat, portraying a skillful woman who knows how to manage her life.
Director Tran Thanh decided to recreate the entire apartment building to a 1:1 scale on the set of the film "Mai".
Giai Ky noodle shop (Ho Chi Minh City) - from the movie "Mai"
One of the places that has been "causing a sensation" recently is Giai Ky noodle shop (451 Tran Phu Street, District 5, Ho Chi Minh City). This popular Chinese noodle shop is in high demand because it appeared in Tran Thanh's film "Mai". In the film, the noodle shop is where the two characters, Sau and Mai, stopped for a late-night meal.
Many observant moviegoers recognized the "familiar restaurant" and sought it out, while others visited out of curiosity to try the flavors. The strong impact of the film not only attracted the attention of diners but also prompted food reviewers on TikTok to highlight the location.
One of the places that has been "going viral" recently is Giai Ky noodle shop, featured in the movie "Mai".
This noodle shop impresses with its two main dishes: mixed dry noodles and fresh wontons, with the owner making the wontons to order. These are also the two dishes featured in the movie "Mai".
A bowl of dry noodle soup costs 45,000 VND. The taste isn't significantly different from other Chinese restaurants; however, perhaps because it's open all night and the prices are reasonable, it has been a familiar choice for many people for a long time.
