Madame in Saigon lands North American deal with Reel Citrus
Reel Citrus has acquired North American rights to the Vietnamese period drama Mesdames Thanh Sắc, releasing it as Madame in Saigon through a partnership with Live On. The thanh hang hong anh8217s film, directed by Thắng Vũ and set in 1960s Saigon, opens across North America on Aug. 28 after an Aug. 26 Los Angeles premiere.
Key Takeaways
- Reel Citrus partnered with Ho Chi Minh City-based Live On for the North American release of Madame in Saigon.
- The drama stars Thanh Hằng as dancer Cầm Thanh opposite Hồng Ánh as nightclub owner Madame Sắc.
- A Los Angeles red-carpet premiere is set for Aug. 26, with the film opening North America on Aug. 28.
- The deal is Live On’s first U.S. collaboration and its North American theatrical debut.
According to Variety, the acquisition covers the Vietnamese period title originally titled Mesdames Thanh Sắc. Reel Citrus will release it under the English title Madame in Saigon.
The move gives the 1960s Saigon drama a clearer path to U.S. and Canadian audiences. It also expands Reel Citrus’s slate beyond marketing campaigns into a rights-led theatrical push.
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What is Madame in Saigon about?
Directed by Thắng Vũ, Madame in Saigon follows dancer Cầm Thanh, played by Thanh Hằng, as she rises through Saigon’s nightlife. Her ascent leads into a power struggle with Madame Sắc, the owner of the Kim Đô nightclub, played by Hồng Ánh.
The cast also includes Lương Thế Thành and singer-actor Văn Mai Hương. The film opened in Vietnam in June before the North American rollout was locked in.
Why does the Reel Citrus and Live On deal matter?
Live On, based in Ho Chi Minh City, has spent more than a decade producing multi-genre Vietnamese films. Variety reports the pact marks the studio’s first U.S. collaboration and its debut in the North American theatrical market.
Reel Citrus was founded in 2025 and previously led theatrical marketing campaigns for Leaving Mom and Ancestral Home. Brittany Tran, executive director of Reel Citrus, called Madame in Saigon “bold, unapologetically Vietnamese, and made to travel,” saying the partnership is a milestone and “just the beginning.”
The company’s next release, Summer School, 2001, is slated for October.
When does Madame in Saigon open in North America?
Reel Citrus will hold a red-carpet premiere in Los Angeles on Aug. 26, with Thanh Hằng in attendance. The actor rose to fame as Vietnam’s preeminent supermodel in the 2010s before dramatic film roles such as Mẹ chồng (Mother-in-Law) and Những cô gái chân dài. She has also been a longtime judge on Vietnam’s Next Top Model.
After the premiere, Thanh Hằng will join a press junket in Orange County with local community organizations. The wider campaign will span digital platforms and creator support, plus Vietnamese Student Associations across the U.S. and Canada.
The film opens across North America on Aug. 28.