On the afternoon of March 10, Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Nguyen Van Hung chaired a meeting and worked with a group of Hollywood directors and producers on a new film production project.
The Hollywood film director and producer delegation includes Ms. Rose Lam - Global Production Director of Riot Studios (Riot Games) and Mr. Nicholas Simon - CEO and Producer of Indochina Productions.
Working session between the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Hollywood film directors and producers on March 10
According to Ms. Rose Lam, Riot Games is surveying and planning to film a 9-episode TV series based on the popular game “League of Legends” and the online cartoon of the same name. After surveying Japan, Korea, Thailand and Vietnam, the film crew found that Cat Ba archipelago with its unique natural landscape and ability to meet the production requirements of a large-scale film project is the most ideal and feasible location to make the film.
This is not the first time Vietnam has caught the eye of international filmmakers. In 2016, the crew of the blockbuster “Kong: Skull Island” also chose 3 locations in Vietnam (Quang Binh, Ninh Binh, Quang Ninh) as the main setting for the film. Ms. Rose Lam hopes that the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the local authorities in Cat Ba will actively support and create the best conditions for the film crew to come and make the film. The film project is also expected to contribute to spreading the image of Vietnamese tourism to international friends, similar to what “Kong: Skull Island” did 8 years ago.
At the meeting, the film crew representatives presented their ideas and plans for film production in Cat Ba and the two sides had direct and specific discussions. Mr. Nicholas Simon - CEO and producer of Indochina Productions hopes that in the coming time, there will be more specific meetings and discussions about Vietnam's legal regulations as well as the work content to be implemented in Vietnam.
According to Mr. Nicholas Simon, Vietnam is always on the priority list of international tourists in general and film crews in particular. With a large and stable audience and players, a Riot Games film being filmed in Vietnam will certainly bring a very positive effect to both countries.
Cat Ba (Hai Phong) was chosen as the filming location for the upcoming series of Riot Studios (Riot Games)
After listening to the opinions and suggestions from the film crew, Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Nguyen Van Hung thanked and appreciated the film crew for choosing Cat Ba as the setting for the film. Affirming the viewpoint of the Party and State of Vietnam wanting to be friends with all countries in the world, ready to cooperate for common development, for peace and friendship, the Minister said that on the basis of complying with the provisions of the law and under the conditions allowed, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Hai Phong city government will actively support and create favorable conditions for the film crew. At the same time, there will also be proposals to the Government as well as relevant agencies to facilitate visa conditions for the film crew.
The leader of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism also suggested that film cooperation must comply with Vietnamese laws, develop together, harmonize benefits, and share risks. Along with that, the Minister suggested that it is necessary to carefully study the Vietnamese Cinema Law to have quality film scenes and footage, avoiding offensive elements that are not suitable for Vietnamese and international cinema.
The Minister also said that Vietnam pays special attention to protecting natural landscapes and heritages. Because the filming scenes are expected to take place in areas of World Natural Heritages, it is necessary to prioritize the protection of heritage, environment and sea. "Vietnam's viewpoint is not to trade the environment for economic benefits," the Minister affirmed.
Cat Ba is a wonderful blend of primeval forests, blue seas and magical cave systems. With more than 360 large and small islands, this place creates a unique limestone maze in the middle of the ocean, and at the same time possesses a rare diverse ecosystem. This unique natural beauty was honored by UNESCO as a World Natural Heritage in 2023. The majestic natural space, towering cliffs embracing the fine white sand, mysterious caves hidden in the heart of the island and emerald green sea water are the factors that helped Cat Ba be chosen as the setting for the "League of Legends" series to be released in the near future.
