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The Vietnamese feature Fish, Fists and Ambergris (original title: Long Diên Hương) is preparing to travel beyond its domestic market after a notable local performance. Produced by 89s Group, the film has already drawn more than 2.5 million tickets in Vietnam and generated roughly $8 million at the box office, prompting an international distribution strategy aimed at theaters and streaming platforms across the region.
Mockingbird Pictures, a Southeast Asia–based distribution company, will lead the film’s global theatrical roll out while securing a deal with Netflix to stream the movie across the region. The partnership is intended to bring this distinctly Vietnamese story to new audiences and to highlight the commercial and cultural potential of contemporary Vietnamese cinema.
Story and themes: a coastal find that sparks conflict
At its narrative core, Fish, Fists and Ambergris follows two impoverished brothers whose lives are altered when they discover a lump of ambergris washed ashore. Ambergris, often referred to in the script as floating gold, is a rare oceanic substance traditionally prized for perfumery and trade. Their attempt to monetize the discovery quickly escalates into a dangerous scramble as smugglers and rival claimants close in.
The plot expands around a group of local characters who become entangled in the hunt: a savvy fish seller, a volatile local troublemaker and others who add layers of humor, danger and humanity. As the pursuit deepens, the ambergris evolves from a simple windfall into a potent symbol of longing, survival and moral complexity in a small coastal community.
Distribution plan and release windows
Mockingbird Pictures will coordinate the film’s theatrical openings in multiple territories while a separate streaming window has been arranged with Netflix. The film already opened theatrically in North America on Jan. 30, and an opening in Cambodia is scheduled for April 17. In parallel, the film is set to debut on Netflix across all 11 Southeast Asian territories on March 5. Additional release dates for other regions and territories are being finalized and will be announced in the coming months.
Regional strategy and streaming timing
The synchronized approach — theaters followed by regional streaming — reflects a dual objective: preserve the theatrical experience where feasible while ensuring broad accessibility through a major streaming partner. The Netflix window across Southeast Asia aims to capitalize on the film’s local momentum and the platform’s sizable regional user base, giving the film an immediate audience beyond theatrical circuits.
Creative vision and production context
Producers from 89s Group emphasized that the film was conceived to portray the resilience and texture of coastal Vietnamese life. Producer Mai Bảo Ngọc described the picture as a human story rooted in connection, redemption and the hard choices people make to survive. The film blends action beats with cultural detail tied to the folklore and economics of an island community.
Producer Võ Thanh Hoà framed the project as part of 89s Group’s broader ethos, which they summarize as “Local Story, Global Telling.” That philosophy informed both the film’s craft — melding kinetic sequences with local color — and the strategy to present a distinctly Vietnamese narrative to international audiences without diluting cultural specificity.
Distributor perspective and wider ambitions
Mockingbird Pictures’ business director, Phong Duong, cited the film’s home-market results as proof of Vietnamese cinema’s growing regional and international appeal. Mockingbird, which has taken Vietnamese content abroad before, intends to use this release to further connect Vietnamese filmmakers with global partners and audiences, reinforcing the company’s presence at major markets like Cannes Film Market, Busan’s AC&FM and Hong Kong FilMart.
The company has previously handled international sales for Vietnamese genre films and sees this project as another step in expanding the global footprint of films from Vietnam and the wider region. The distributor’s role will include negotiating additional territory deals and coordinating the theatrical calendar to build momentum ahead of streaming availability.
What to expect and next steps
For international viewers, the film promises a mix of action, character-driven humor and cultural texture anchored by the central conceit of a rare marine find. With confirmed windows — North America (opened Jan. 30), Netflix across Southeast Asia (March 5) and Cambodia (April 17) — audiences will have several ways to discover the film. Further theatrical dates and territory confirmations will be released as deals are completed.
As Vietnamese cinema continues to draw attention, Fish, Fists and Ambergris serves as a notable example of a locally rooted production that is being positioned for regional reach and broader international interest.