A Tourist's Guide to Love, set in Hanoi, Saigon, Đà Nẵng, Hội An and Hà Giang, will be the first major international flick to film in Vietnam since the COVID-19 pandemic began.
Led by Rachel Leigh Cook of late-1990s hits She's All That and The Baby-Sitters Club, the movie will focus on a travel executive who decides to explore Vietnam after an unexpected breakup. Her journey takes an unexpected twist when she becomes romantically involved with her tour guide, with whom she steals a tour bus to explore the country's less-visited sites.
Cook reportedly had the original idea for the movie, which "presents a compelling love letter to Vietnam in all its glory, with heart and humor." She will both star and produce the film, whose screenplay is penned by Vietnamese American writer Eirene Donohue.
Vietnamese American actor Scott Ly will be joined by local actors Lê Thiện and Trúc Trần for the production, which is set to begin filming next month. Veteran American director Steven K. Tsuchida has signed on to helm the Netflix original. For Netflix audiences, Thiện's most recognizable appearance was in the heartfelt family drama Goodbye Mother, in which she plays the protagonist's grandma.
The production team has praised the support of Vietnam's Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and over 200 local crew members, vendors and retail outlets that will assist with filming. Representatives for A Tourists Guide to Love claim it will showcase the country's natural beauty and culture for international audiences, and Vietnam hopes it will assist in raising interest amongst international tourists. Filming is expected to begin next month.
This is the first international film to be filmed in Vietnam in over two years, and the most high-profile since 2017's Kong: Skull Island, which was the first major Hollywood movie shot in Vietnam. More recently, indie-flick Monsoon was shot on the pre-pandemic streets of Saigon.
[Image via Netflix]
