The event is part of Italian Film Week in Viet Nam 2026, jointly organised by the Embassy of Italy and the Asian Film Festival in Rome.
This year, the event returns under the new name Italian Film Week in Ho Chi Minh City, seeking to bring Italian cinema closer to Vietnamese audiences.
Beyond offering an opportunity to enjoy outstanding films, the event provides a window into Italian culture, people,and everyday life through the art of cinematic storytelling.
Each film offers a distinctive perspective, portraying different facets of Italian society while helping to build bridges of cultural exchange between the two countries.
The event also provides cinema enthusiasts with a chanceto deepen their understanding of Italian filmmaking and the cultural values conveyed through the silver screen.
Italian Film Week in Ho Chi Minh City 2026 will showcase six carefully selected films curated by director Antonio Termenini: "La grazia", "Maestro", "Primavera", "Gioia Mia", "Le città di pianura", and "Diamanti".
Paolo Sorrentino’s "La grazia" was selected as the opening film of the 2025 Venice International Film Festival.
"Maestro" tells the story of an ageing tennis coach and a promising young player, while Damiano Michieletto’s "Primavera" follows a young female musician living in an 18th-century orphanage.
"Gioia Mia", the debut feature by Margherita Spampinato, chronicles the gentle coming-of-age story of a boy growing up with his grandmother.
Meanwhile, Francesco Sossai’s comedy-drama "Le citta di pianura" follows two middle-aged men from the Veneto region and an architecture student as they embark on a journey together, without any of them knowing where they are heading.
Ferzan Özpetek’s "Diamanti", in turn, explores the lives of women and the complexities of family relationships.
According to the organisers, the six films featured in Italian Film Week in Ho Chi Minh City offer a snapshot of contemporary Italian cinema.
The selection brings together established directors with distinctive cinematic styles and emerging filmmakers presenting their debut works. The programme spans a wide range of genres, including drama, satirical comedy, historical musical films, road movies, and coming-of-age stories.
All six films have either received critical recognition at major international film festivals or achieved strong box-office results and won prestigious Italian film awards.
This year’s selection stands out for its diversity of genres and themes, allowing audiences not only to explore Italy’s rich history and cultural heritage but also to gain deeper insight into contemporary Italian cinema and society.
