On August 13, the team behind “Cám” officially released a trailer revealing the main story of the film. In this cinematic version, the character Cám, played by Lâm Thanh Mỹ, is a girl born with a deformity, becoming a source of shame for the family of village chief Hai Hoàng, portrayed by Quốc Cường. Meanwhile, the beautiful Tấm, played by Rima Thanh Vy, is always by her side, protecting her unfortunate sister from gossip.
Trailer for “Cám.”
In the teaser trailer, audiences will notice several familiar details from the fairy tale versions of Tấm Cám, including scenes from the fish pond, collecting rice, the custard apple, and the village festival. The most surprising aspect is the bizarre shoe-testing festival, where a series of deaths taint the village square with blood. Additionally, the first images of the virgin sacrifice ceremony presided over by Mr. Hai Hoàng are sure to pique viewers’ curiosity.
Moreover, the trailer also unveils that the stepmother, played by Thúy Diễm, gave birth to Cám under a curse, foreshadowing a series of disasters approaching the village of Hương. There are also many eerie details, such as the claws of demons, a three-eyed red-faced devil, a person with their face skinned, blood-soaked hands holding a handful of maggot-infested rice, and a mysterious girl being offered in a ritual, all showcasing the horror and darkness of this film adaptation.
The horror adaptation of “Cám” is set at the end of the Later Lê dynasty and the beginning of the Nguyễn dynasty in the early 19th century, based on the advice of historians and materials found about various Tấm Cám versions. Therefore, the costume designs are closely tied to and creatively inspired by traditional outfits of the time, such as the Tứ thân, Ngũ thân, Giao lĩnh, Viên lĩnh, and Đối khâm, aiming to provide a sense of closeness and authenticity to this historical period.
The setting of the Hương village in the film also reflects the traditional incense-making profession. Additionally, various folk cultural details are incorporated into the film with great care, featuring scenes from the village festival with long-standing traditional games such as human chess, wrestling, the village market, floating markets, lotus ponds, wells, thatched roofs, incense-making, sky lantern festivals, and traditional Vietnamese architecture.
