Delivering a keynote address at the opening ceremony, Secretary of the Party Central Committee and Deputy Prime Minister Pham Thi Thanh Tra said that, within a relatively short period, the festival had established its reputation as an important platform connecting Vietnamese cinema with the region while helping to enhance Viet Nam’s cultural profile on the international stage.
She described the festival as vivid evidence of the Party's and the State's consistent policy of recognising culture as the spiritual foundation of society, an intrinsic source of strength, an instrument of soft power and a key driver of the country's sustainable development. In particular, cinema is not only an art form but also a creative industry with enormous potential, contributing to the promotion of Viet Nam's image, people and culture while generating fresh momentum for national development in the new era.
To enable the festival to reach new heights in the coming years, the Deputy Prime Minister outlined three key priorities. First, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, in coordination with the Da Nang People's Committee and relevant ministries and agencies, should continue improving the institutional and policy framework, mobilising resources and creating a favourable environment for Vietnamese cinema to flourish through talent, creativity, technology and professional excellence.
Second, efforts should continue to elevate the festival while developing a comprehensive film ecosystem closely linked with culture, tourism and the creative industries.
Third, it is essential to inspire the artistic aspirations of filmmakers so that they can produce more works distinguished by profound ideological and artistic value, strong Vietnamese identity and broad international appeal.
Speaking at the ceremony, Dr Ngo Phuong Lan, Chairwoman of the Viet Nam Film Development Association (VFDA, said Asian cinema has increasingly consolidated its position on the global cinematic landscape. Stories told from Asia not only reflect the region's diverse cultural identities but also resonate with universal human values. It is hoped that DANAFF will continue to serve as a platform where these creative voices can meet, flourish and connect with audiences around the world.
Highlighting the festival's role in promoting Da Nang's cultural identity, Nguyen Thi Anh Thi, Vice Chairwoman of the Da Nang City People's Committee, said the festival is far more than a cinematic event; it is also of strategic importance in shaping and strengthening the city's cultural brand.
The DANAFF IV runs from June 28 to July 5 in the coastal city of Da Nang. Under this year's theme, "Bridging Asia to the World," DANAFF IV reaffirms its role as a meeting point for filmmakers, film industries and audiences across the region, with the aim of bringing the creativity, humanity and distinctive identity of Asian cinema to international audiences.
The organising committee presented the Film Achievement Award to renowned filmmaker Bill Mechanic, former Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of 20th Century Fox, who is behind many of Hollywood's successes.
This year's Asian Competition features 13 films from Viet Nam, the Philippines, Singapore, Brunei, Thailand, Japan (two films), the Republic of Korea, China, Pakistan and India, alongside one multinational co-production involving Türkiye, France, the Netherlands, Sweden, Greece and Saudi Arabia, and one Viet Nam–US co-production.
The Vietnamese Film Competition comprises 11 outstanding productions, representing the diversity of contemporary Vietnamese cinema. Covering genres ranging from comedy, family and historical drama to psychological and supernatural themes, these films stand out for their artistic quality, commercial success and strong appeal to audiences, making them among the most notable Vietnamese productions of the past two years.
The Asian Cinema Panorama section showcases 21 acclaimed films from across Asia, including three multinational co-productions. These titles have been selected from works that have been screened or honoured at prestigious international film festivals such as Cannes, Busan, Rotterdam, the Golden Horse Awards, Moscow and Tokyo.
Another highlight is the retrospective programme entitled "Vietnamese Cinema over 40 years of Doi Moi Era (1986–2026)", featuring 17 landmark films produced over the past four decades. The programme offers audiences an opportunity to revisit the evolution of Vietnamese cinema through its creative thinking, cinematic language, approaches to portraying reality and changing filmmaking styles across different periods. It is expected to provide a comprehensive overview of the development of Vietnamese cinema during the Doi Moi era.
A special highlight of this year's festival is the American Cinema Spotlight programme, presenting 13 outstanding films from one of the world's most influential film industries.
The programme offers audiences not only the opportunity to revisit significant milestones in American cinema but also to trace the evolution of cinematic language, storytelling techniques and production practices across successive generations of filmmakers.
The festival also continues its popular open-air screening programme, featuring five films including Vietnamese feature films, French animated films and a selection of Vietnamese animated shorts that will be presented across seven screenings at Da Nang APEC Park, the Da Nang Centre for Culture and Cinema, Hoa Khanh Administrative Centre Square, Tam Thanh Beach and Song Hoai Square in Hoi An.
In addition to the screenings, audiences will have the opportunity to meet internationally renowned film stars, including Ji Chang Wook, Park Sung Woong and Han Dong Hee (the Republic of Korea), Jane Seymour (the US) and Tuba Büyüküstün (Türkiye), as well as exchange with Vietnamese actors and film crews during post-screening exchanges.
Building on the success of previous editions, DANAFF IV continues to expand its professional activities, ranging from training programmes and support for emerging talents to the development of outstanding film projects and networking opportunities for filmmakers, producers and investors.
Following the successful launch of the DANAFF Project Market in 2025, the festival is further strengthening its industry focus this year through DANAFF Industry Days, a series of networking events bringing together 10 film studios and more than 20 international partners.
Another new initiative is DANAFF's Cinephiles, organised in collaboration with universities in Da Nang, led by the University of Education. The programme aims to cultivate a new generation of film enthusiasts by equipping young audiences with knowledge of cinema, particularly arthouse films, as well as practical skills in organising film clubs, events and screenings.
The festival also features the DANAFF Pavilion, an interactive space for networking, promotion and audience engagement, designed to connect the film industry with businesses, brands and cinema lovers.
In addition, three thematic seminars will be held, focusing on issues of growing importance to both the film industry and audiences: "Vietnamese Cinema during the Doi Moi Era", "Artificial Intelligence, Digital Technology and Intellectual Property Protection in Cinema", and "The American Film Industry: Successful Models and Lessons for Viet Nam."
