By MICHAEL GINGOLD
A Sundance Award-winning director takes a turn to the genre with this one.
Dark Star Pictures will release DAYDREAMERS to theaters across the U.S. May 2, followed by digital release on all major platforms June 3. Written and directed by Timothy Linh Bui (THREE SEASONS, GREEN DRAGON, producer of THE HOUSEMAID), it stars Chi Pu, Trinh Thao, Thuan Nguyen and Tran Ngoc Vang. The synopsis: “Set 400 years ago, this original story reimagines vampire lore in Southeast Asia. As European vampires faced extinction, they fled to Vietnam–then known as Annam–bringing with them the dark curse. The film introduces a dark and gripping supernatural world set in modern-day Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. DAYDREAMERS follows Nhat, a young vampire raised in a secluded river community that suppresses its thirst for human blood in hopes of regaining lost humanity. When his long-lost brother Marco returns with stories of vampires thriving in the big city amongst humans, Nhat is drawn into a dangerous world that tests his loyalty, beliefs, and survival. His fate takes a turn when he meets Ha, a rebellious schoolgirl who uncovers his secret—forcing Nhat to break vampire law in an act of forbidden protection. As Trieu, a ruthless vampire queen, orders their execution, the city erupts into chaos, setting the stage for a final battle between brothers—one embracing the monster within, the other fighting to hold onto his last shred of humanity.”
“I wanted to tell a story about people who live within the shadows of a modern city,” says Bui. “I was inspired by the Vietnamese riverboat communities, who have been there for decades and are overlooked by those around them. As the ultimate outsiders, vampires are the perfect vehicle to explore that world. They exist in secrecy, live on the margins, and are defined by their need to remain hidden.”
