The box office hit, known as “Co Ba Sai Gon” in Vietnamese and produced by famous actress Ngo Thanh Van, will compete at the Oscars, Hollywood’s most prestigious film awards, with Japan’s "Shoplifters", South Korea’s "Burning", Mexico’s "Roma", Poland’s "Cold War", and Turkey’s "The Wild Pear Tree".
Set in Saigon in the 1960s, considered the heyday of the ao dai (the traditional Vietnamese tunic), “The Tailor” tells the story of a young girl called Nhu Y who holds on to her family’s ao dai legacy.
The film premiered at the 22nd Busan International Film Festival in South Korea last year before it grossed VND60 billion ($2.5 million) in Vietnamese theaters.
Last year “Father and Son” by director Luong Dinh Dung was entered in the Academy Awards, but failed to make it past the first round.
The deadline for submissions is October 1, nine finalists will be shortlisted next January and the five nominees will be announced soon afterwards.
The winner will be announced at the Oscar Awards on February 24.