Vietnamese animation levels up with dual dialect debut
HANOI: Homegrown animated adventure film Trang Quynh nhí: Truyen thuyet Kim Nguu (Little Scholar Quynh: The Legend of the Golden Buffalo) is set to premiere nationwide on June 20, offering a refreshing and culturally tuned experience for family audiences across Vietnam.
The film tells the story of young Quynh, whose father is wrongfully accused of stealing a sacred treasure from the royal court. Escaping capture with help from his loyal friends and a mysterious buffalo, Quynh embarks on a thrilling quest to clear his family's name.
Along the way, the group confronts dark forces bent on harnessing the power of the mythical Nine-Tailed Fox to plunge the world into chaos.
What truly sets this release apart is its dual voiceover format. Each regionally tailored version features actors speaking in either a northern or southern accent, allowing audiences to enjoy the film in the dialect most familiar to them.
According to the producers, this approach aims to honour regional identities and enhance emotional connection.
This move is considered unprecedented in Vietnam's film industry, where animated features are typically released with a single voiceover version. The decision reflects a growing awareness of regional language preferences, especially following recent debates over voiceover quality in local productions.
Some high-profile films have drawn backlash for casting celebrity guests with limited voice acting skills. In contrast, the Little Scholar Quynh team opted to work exclusively with professional voice actors and experienced stage performers.
'Animation is about more than just visuals — it's about performance. We believe Vietnamese children deserve top-tier storytelling with voices that do justice to the characters,' said a member of the production team.
Little Scholar Quynh: The Legend of the Golden Buffalo is more than just family entertainment — it's a milestone for Vietnam's animation industry.
Launching this summer alongside major international releases, the film stands as a vibrant testament to the creative ambition of local studios, and a love letter to Vietnamese folklore and linguistic diversity. - Vietnam News/ANN
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