The Ho Chi Minh City Department of Culture and Sports and the Ho Chi Minh City Cinema Association, in coordination with the City Department of Education and Training, the Ho Chi Minh City Youth Union, and related agencies, held the opening ceremony of the second Ho Chi Minh City Short Film Festival.
Speaking at the opening ceremony, screenwriter Duong Cam Thuy, Chairwoman of the Ho Chi Minh City Cinema Association, said that the second edition of the festival, taking place from June 6 to 8, received more than 100 entries across three categories including documentaries, animated films and feature films, with overall quality improving compared to the inaugural festival.
The Ho Chi Minh City Short Film Festival aims to discover and nurture cinematic talent, helping build the future filmmaking workforce and contributing to the development of both the city’s and the nation’s film industry, screenwriter Duong Cam Thuy emphasised.
Themed “Inspiring Young Creativity – Building a Film City,” the festival highlights the role of short films as a platform for discovering, nurturing, and connecting young filmmakers, while also contributing to the development of Ho Chi Minh City’s “Film City” brand as part of its cultural industry and creative urban development strategy.
A wide range of professional, artistic, and community-oriented activities will take place throughout the festival, focusing on four main areas: key events, professional activities, community and school-based programmes, and communications and promotional activities.
In particular, many activities are designed for young filmmakers and creators, including a film poster design competition, educational trailer creation, and AI filmmaking training sessions; thematic discussions on short films, project networking models, and initiatives supporting the development of young talent, as well as the “Nurturing Cinematic Talent” programme.
The festival also features networking activities and showcases of outstanding works and projects participating in domestic and international film festivals; the launch of the “Film City” identity package under UNESCO’s Creative Cities Network; a series of media programmes promoting Ho Chi Minh City as a creative hub with strong cinematic potential; and a short video clip competition for students aimed at fostering cinematic experiences within schools.
Addressing the opening ceremony, Nguyen Manh Cuong, Vice Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee, affirmed that this year’s festival continues to establish itself as a meaningful professional platform, enabling young filmmakers to exchange ideas, learn, and share experiences, while introducing audiences to highly creative works that reflect contemporary life and the humanistic values of society.
This year’s festival takes place at a particularly significant moment as Ho Chi Minh City continues to accelerate cinematic development activities following its official recognition by UNESCO as a member of the UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN) in the field of cinema.
