Though Nguyen Phuong Tra My’s family had consented, having a child act in sensitive scenes violates the Law on Children and Labour Code, Minister of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs Dao Ngoc Dung (Molisa) said on Friday.

In The Third Wife (aka Vo Ba in Vietnamese) directed by Nguyen Phuong Anh (Ash Mayfair), My plays the third wife of a landowner in the 19th century. She has some sexually intimate scenes with her husband played by Le Vu Long and his second wife, played by Mai Thu Huong aka Maya.

Officials working in child protection spoke out against the use of the child actress in such scenes saying they could have a psychological effect on her.

The children’s department under the ministry also expressed disapproval. Dang Hoa Nam, its head, said: “The Third Wife uses 13-year-old actress Tra My in sensitive scenes and contains inappropriate dialogues, this is not allowed.”

“We will examine whether the producer and director performs the action of coaxing children into doing pornographic and unhealthy activities,” he said.

A scene in the film The Third Wife featuring actress Nguyen Phuong Tra My.

“The film crew could have definitely used a body double or actress above 18 for the scenes,” he added.

This is done by many directors. In the 2018 movie Thach Thao (Heather), for a rape scene involving a high-school student, the director used a 21-year-old body double. In television series Quynh Bup Be (Quynh Doll) last year, a 30-year-old actress played a 16-year-old sold to a brothel.

Last Monday the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism instructed the Cinema Department to review the licensing of the film.

But the chorus of protests notwithstanding, it is unclear if The Third Wife’s makers broke the laws. Since the Cinema Law has not specified regulations concerning adolescences acting in sexual scenes, it is hard to identify to what extent children can join sexual scenes, according to filmmakers and industry insiders.

Some filmmakers were noncommittal. Director Hong Anh said: “I think both opposing and supporting sides have their points. Our law in this case is unclear.”

The producers said they broke no law in producing and distributing the film, and it was approved by the Cinema Department for release in Vietnam.

My was represented by her mother in the contract. The crew took every measure to protect her while filming sensitive scenes, with only women – the director, assistant director and camerawoman -being on the set.

“When filming the ‘hot’ scene, the crew ensured the camera angles and [body] accessories prevented any [exposure] but still managed to create an effect of intimacy between them,” producer Tran Thi Bich Ngoc said.

My too said she was well protected on the sets. She wore a protective sheath while her mother closely followed the filming.

Following the public uproar, the film producers decided to pull it from cinemas from May 21.

But its foreign release will go ahead as planned. It was released in the U.S. on May 15 and is set to be shown in 27 other markets.

The Third Wife is a critically acclaimed debut feature for Mayfair. The film has won several prizes at international festivals including the NETPAC Award at the Toronto International Film Festival (Canada), TVE-Another Look award at the San Sebastian Film Festival (Spain) and Best Film award at the Kolkata International Film Festival (India).

Under public pressure, the production company, Ba Sac Cau Vong, has filed a request with the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism for permission to stop showing the film.

It stopped being screened on Tuesday, May 21, said a representative of CGV, the biggest cinema complex network in the country.

While it won several international awards, the film, The Third Wife, Vo Ba in Vietnamese, sparked controversy over the age of its lead actress Nguyen Phuong Tra My while shooting sexually intimate scenes.

Tra My was 13 years old. In the film, Tra My, born in 2004, plays the role of the third wife in an affluent family. She acts in intimate scenes with her husband as well as the second wife, played by actress Mai Thu Huong aka Maya.

They do not want the controversy to blow up further and affect the family and life of actress Tra My, the producers said.

Directed by Nguyen Phuong Anh, the film was released in Vietnam on May 17 with a C18 rating, which means it is not for viewers under 18.

Earlier, on Monday, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism requested the Cinema Department to review the licensing of the film.

The producers emphasized that they violated no law in producing and distributing the film. Actress Tra My was represented by her mother in signing a contract with the company. The crew took every measure to protect Tra My while filming sensitive scenes. During the filming of intimate scenes, only female staff, including the film director, vice-director and camerawoman, stayed on the set. All the scenes were filmed under supervision of the actress’ mother.

The actress was neither harassed nor her body exposed on set, said producer Tran Thi Bich Ngoc, adding that the script was approved by the Cinema Department before shooting began.

The Third Wife was inspired by a true story from the director’s own family. Set in 19th century Vietnam, it tells the story of 14-year-old May (Tra My) who becomes the third wife of a wealthy landowner. Little does she know that her hidden desires will take her by surprise and force her to make a choice between living in safety and being free.

The film has won several prizes at international festivals including the NETPAC Award at the Toronto International Film Festival (Canada), TVE-Another Look awardat the San Sebastian Film Festival (Spain) and Best Film award at the Kolkata International Film Festival (India).

The film was released in U.S. cinemas on May 15 and is set to be shown in 27 other markets. Its release in foreign countries will take place as planned, producers said.