3388 Films To Release Minh Beta’s ‘Scent Of Pho’ In North America & Major International Markets 

EXCLUSIVE: 3388 Films has picked up North America and a slew of other rights to Minh Beta’s Scent Of Pho, which is currently on release in Vietnam over the country’s Tet Lunar New Year holidays. 

The film is being lined up for a mid-March release in North America. 3388 Films will also release the film across Europe, Australia, New Zealand and Japan. South Korea’s Lotte Entertainment is handling all other international territories. 

Featuring an ensemble cast including veteran actor Xuân Hinh and leading actress Thu Trang, the film tells the story of a father whose greatest concern is preserving the legacy of the family’s renowned phở business. When he chooses his grandson as the successor, he faces fierce opposition from his daughter-in-law.

“By placing the timeless theme of generational gaps within Vietnamese families at its heart, Mùi Phở tells a story that resonates with audiences of all ages,” said the film’s producers. “It portrays a hardworking father who quietly shoulders the family’s burdens, hiding his own worries and struggles.” 

3388 Films’ Thien A. Pham said: “Phở is an iconic Vietnamese dish that is a global culinary phenomenon. When I first spoke with director Minh Beta about his family film Scent Of Pho (Mùi Phở), I sensed his heartfelt desire to honor and preserve the deeply rooted Vietnamese heritage of phở through a uniquely regional film. 

“3388 Films is a champion of culturally rich films, and we are elated to have acquired rights to Scent Of Pho (Mùi Phở) for multiple international territories and to be able to bring this meaningful film to a worldwide audience.”

In addition to the themes of food and generational gaps, the film also touches on other aspects of Vietnamese culture, as well as the cultural differences between North and South Vietnam. Filmed in Hanoi’s Old Quarter, it also features a phở festival sequence and took advice on the cooking scenes from Vũ Ngọc Vượng, founder of the Ngọc Vượng phở chain, to ensure authenticity.

The soundtrack includes traditional Vietnamese music, as well as a mashup between modern rap and Xuân Hinh’s xẩm performance, produced by music producer Christian Dinh Gulino, who has worked with global artists including Sam Smith and Jessie J.

Minh Beta is the founder of Beta Group, which operates a highly successful chain of affordable theatres across Vietnam, as well as producing and investing in Vietnamese content. Also known as a singer and actor, Minh is making his directorial debut with Scent Of Pho.