It’s been an excellent week for Asian releases globally. Perhaps one of the most impressive performances to date has to be the Vietnamese romance-drama, Mai, which has managed an impressive (for the size and demographic) $2M performance across Europe and North America. The experience entertainment lawyer Brandon Blake, of Blake & Wang P.A., takes a closer look at this inspired performance despite being a non-English language release.
$23M Global Box Office
While there has been plenty of hype surrounding Asian IPs of late, Vietnam has had a decidedly understated presence in the global film market. Now only in the third week of its release cycle, Mai has already earned $23M in global takings. Unsurprisingly, the bulk of this was generated at home, with a credible $21M. It has grossed $1.66M in North America, and a further $341K in limited European markets. The film is distributed by 3388 Films.
Ironically, director Tran Thanh already held the record for the best-performing Vietnamese-produced film in North America with their directorial debut, Bố Già, or Dad, I’m Sorry in translation. Its $1.3M record was generated off of an 8-week run in 2021, so Mai’s strong opening performance is already new ground. It will be interesting to see how well the film sustains, and where it eventually closes domestically.
Expanding Markets
As 3388 Films have themselves remarked, a few years ago even a $1M performance at the US box office for a film like this would have been amazing. Not only is it a testament to a strong, well-made film, but it also aptly demonstrates the considerable market expansion and appetite audiences now have for international and independent titles.
There’s plenty to celebrate for the wider filmmaking industry in Mai’s new victory, and we hope to see even greater performances from titles like this in the coming years.
Film and Television 