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'Chrysalis' Lands Vietnam Theatrical Deal With CJ CGV, September Release Set

Jonah VillalbaPublished 3d ago2 min readBased on 1 source
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'Chrysalis' Lands Vietnam Theatrical Deal With CJ CGV, September Release Set

The US-Vietnam film Chrysalis has secured a nationwide theatrical release in Vietnam through CJ CGV Vietnam, the country's leading multiplex operator and distributor, with opening day set for 11 September. The film will play Vietnamese cinemas under the local title Mãi Nợ Một Lời Tạm Biệt — rendered in English as The Farewell I Never Gave — while retaining Chrysalis as its international title across other territories. Variety reported the deal exclusively on 28 July. Variety

Directed by J. Robert Schulz, Chrysalis draws on the childhood memories of Sir Daniel K. Winn, who serves as both the film's subject and an executive producer, and who appears in the present-day storyline. The screenplay is by Andrew Creme, based on a story credited to Daniel K. Winn, Randall J. Slavin, and Schulz. WS Productions produced the film, with Slavin also aboard as an executive producer.

The cast is anchored by Kieu Chinh, who stars as Bà Nội, the grandmother at the heart of the story. Chinh is a screen veteran whose career spans nearly seven decades and more than 100 roles — a body of work that earned her the Screen Excellence Merit Award at the fourth edition of the Danang Asian Film Festival (DANAFF), where Chrysalis competed as one of 13 films selected for the Asian Competition. The ensemble also includes Uy Nhan, Samuel An, Lan Thy, Le Anh Huy, Tien Pham, and Trinh Tu Trung.

Before landing the Vietnam deal, Chrysalis made its market debut at the 2026 Cannes Film Market — the industry sidebar running alongside the Cannes Film Festival, where sales agents screen unfinished or newly finished films for international buyers — with two market screenings. The festival circuit and the theatrical deal are separate steps in a chain that typically takes a film from early industry exposure to cinema seats.

CJ CGV Vietnam issued a statement describing Chrysalis as "a deeply moving story that explores the powerful themes of family and memory." The Vietnam run is part of a broader release schedule that includes a Beverly Hills engagement in October and a worldwide rollout planned for November. A film's local title is often tailored for its home market — the Vietnamese-language name gives audiences there a cultural entry point, while the international title keeps the film identifiable across borders.

For a US-Vietnam production, securing the country's top exhibitor as distributor is a straightforward but meaningful step: it means Chrysalis will reach Vietnamese screens through the same pipeline that handles the market's biggest releases, rather than relying on a limited art-house run. The September date gives the film a clear runway before the November worldwide push.