Quan Ky Nam: 35mm plastic film during the subsidy era, fans fell on their backs because they knew this!

"Quan Ky Nam" by director Leon Le chooses to tell the story through a special "character", which is the subsidized apartment complex. Not only is it the place where the meeting between Khang and Ky Nam took place, this old block also carries the breath of Saigon in the 1980s.

From the moment of writing the script, the film crew had to calculate whether this scene could be made real or not. It took them two months to dive all over Ho Chi Minh City. Ho Chi Minh City to find a suitable place and plan for regeneration. The sounds of everyday life, rustic yellow light, and emotional close-up angles all create a space that is both familiar and nostalgic.

Building a whole "collective area" from memories

The biggest challenge is not in the idea, but in the time and funding. From the interior design, the camera path to each prop, everything must be carefully calculated to ensure that it matches the spirit of the subsidy era. In the end, the team chose to renovate an old block of houses in District 5, adding details typical of the 1980s.

The art and costume team must constantly test paint colors, curtains, furniture, lighting... just to achieve "correctness" when posting pictures. Small details such as the bouquet in Ky Nam's house, the teapot set or the corner displaying Mr. Hao's art are all taken care of to reflect the personality of each person. The apartment complex is therefore not only a backdrop but also a place to store the memories, joys and sorrows of the characters.

35mm plastic film – a risky choice

This particular project also "plays big" when choosing to shoot with 35mm plastic film, bringing a classic color quality, suitable for the retro atmosphere. Visual director Bob Nguyen once cherished this idea from the movie "Song Lang" but has not been able to implement it. This time, despite facing a series of difficulties such as old equipment, transporting films from the US or printing costs, he and his crew are still determined.

The film crew had to buy two cameras and design their own film processing system to save costs. More than 300 rolls of film were used in 52 days of shooting. In the post-production stage, nearly 1,000 frames had to be processed manually, and each scratch had to be adjusted manually. That is why the image hue in the film has a rustic and realistic look that is rarely seen on the screen today.

The story of souls finding each other

"Quan Ky Nam" revolves around Khang (who is translating "The Little Prince") and Ky Nam (a woman who makes a living by cooking for the residents around the village). From a few fleeting conversations to encounters in the apartment hallway, the two gradually fill the void in each other's hearts, although they still keep their distance because of social prejudice.

The film does not create drama with fierce conflicts, but with the rhythm of daily life and the delicate behavior of the apartment community. The old man who loves old music, the kitchen assistant is often teased for being Western, the Northern girl who once fell in love with Khang... Each person is a small piece of the puzzle that creates a post-reunification social picture, when people are still wary of changing times.

A slice of Saigon is both old and new

"Quan Ky Nam" is marked by meticulous care, gentle storytelling, and efforts to recreate a rustic Saigon of decades ago. Without noise, without following trends, the film chooses to go slow, letting every detail, from the sound of slippers in the hallway to the light shining through the curtains tell its own story.

And sometimes, it is that "slow walking" that makes today's young people want to stop and look at a Saigon that they have never seen but feel very familiar with.

Ky Nam Restaurant: Causing a fever with early screenings, promising to be a year-end box office highlight Thanh Yên22:28:59 27/11/2025Amidst the bustling year-end movie season, director Leon Le's Quan Ky Nam attracted strong attention with a sold-out early screening, promising to become a rare artistic highlight at the Vietnamese box office.