Mockingbird Pictures is set to introduce the Vietnamese supernatural horror film “Bloodline: The Curse Within” to international buyers at the Asian Contents & Film Market (ACFM), which runs alongside the Busan International Film Festival. The company holds global distribution rights to the project, which is scheduled to open in Vietnamese theaters on December 25.
Directed by Đinh Đức Thiện and produced by K8 Studio and Hoàng Gia, the film is known locally as “Huyết Thống.” It follows a distinguished pediatric heart surgeon whose daughter becomes the target of a vengeful spirit. As medical intervention fails to counter an ancient curse, the father is forced to confront his own buried sins, which are intrinsically linked to the ghost’s origins.
The film features an ensemble cast led by award-winning actor Quách Ngọc Ngoan. Ngoan gained recognition for his role in Victor Vu’s “The Immortal” and most recently appeared in the hit “The Journey of Heroes.” He is joined by Quang Tuấn, known for starring in “The Corpse” franchise, and Lan Phương, who appeared in “Phi Phong: The Blood Demon,” the highest-grossing Vietnamese horror film to date.
Director Đinh Đức Thiện emphasized that the movie explores themes beyond the supernatural genre. “What interested me was placing medicine and spirituality side by side, while exploring what people are willing to sacrifice when someone they love is threatened,” he said.
Hoàng Gia, who previously worked on the development of “The Corpse 2,” noted that the production team aimed to create genuine scares while rooting the narrative in human emotions such as family bonds and generational consequences. “We wanted the film to be genuinely frightening, while grounding the horror in something deeply human,” he explained.
Mockingbird Pictures will showcase the title as part of its broader lineup of Vietnamese cinema at Busan. Phong Duong, the company’s business director and a co-executive producer on the film, stated that modern audiences demand high-quality filmmaking across all aspects of production. “With ‘Bloodline: The Curse Within,’ we see that ambition in the storytelling, performances and overall cinematic experience,” Duong said.
Mockingbird Pictures specializes in distributing Vietnamese and Southeast Asian films in international markets, handling over 60 theatrical releases and more than 100 post-theatrical titles annually. The company’s catalog spans multiple genres, including horror, comedy, romance, and action, with an increasing focus on standout hits that resonate beyond their domestic borders.
Finally, a Vietnamese horror that isn’t just jump scares. Quách Ngọc Ngoan is a solid lead, so I’m curious about the emotional depth.
A surgeon versus a ghost? That’s a fresh twist on family curses. Hope the VFX match the serious medical drama.