Projects achieving unexpected success
Held as part of the annual Da Nang Asian Film Festival, the values of DANAFF Talents have gone beyond the scope of a film festival, as the programme has borne fruit from its very first editions and attracted the attention of many renowned international artists and filmmakers.
In 2025, a film phenomenon emerged in cinemas for the first time, attracting audiences with its simple yet highly distinctive storytelling. The film “Cam on nguoi da thuc cung toi” (Thank You for Staying Awake with Me), directed by Chung Chi Cong, emerged from the Project Incubator — one of the components of the annual Film Talent Incubator of the Da Nang Asian Film Festival.
“Cam on nguoi da thuc cung toi” quietly rose to second place in the box-office rankings shortly after its release and finished its theatrical run with total takings of more than 44 billion VND, according to statistics from Box Office Viet Nam.
Alongside “Cam on nguoi da thuc cung toi”, the film “Bo sua bay” (Flying Cow), directed by Nguyen Pham Thanh Dat, became the second project from the Incubator to enter production and is expected to hit cinemas by the end of 2026.
Therefore, for many young filmmakers, the end of the film festival is only the starting point. Projects participating in DANAFF Talents continue to be developed, with partners and production opportunities sought. Not every screenplay becomes a film, but the film festival has contributed to shaping a new generation of filmmakers — people who not only have ideas but are also equipped with project development thinking, professional skills, and networks to bring their works closer to the screen.
From a project to the journey of a young filmmaker
Among the projects participating in the Incubator’s DANAFF Talents programme last season, “Escape Room” by director Tran Nguyen Hoang Long and screenwriter Huynh Thu Trang is a typical example. The project won the DANAFF Award worth 5,000 USD in the Vietnamese Multi-Genre Film Project category, but for the team, the award was only a milestone on a much longer journey.
Huynh Thu Trang said that what she remembered most was not the moment her name was announced, but the 11 days of work at the Script Lab. After nearly seven months of screenplay development, discussions with mentors helped the team recognise many blind spots that the writers themselves could no longer see after spending too long immersed in the story.
"The lecturers read the screenplay very carefully and remembered even the smallest details. Because we had been in the story for too long, there were many things we thought the audience would understand on their own. But the lecturers approached the screenplay as audiences would, with a blank sheet of paper, and pointed out many blind spots that we could not see," Huynh Thu Trang shared.
According to the screenwriter, the greatest value of the Script Lab lies not in editing a particular screenplay but in its working methods. The ways of asking questions, challenging ideas, and looking back at a story will continue to be applied by her to future projects.
Valuable experience from leading names in world cinema
With each edition, the Film Talent Incubator's programmes welcome leading names in world cinema to attend, teach, and share valuable professional experience that participants do not always have the opportunity to learn from.
This year, alongside two major Hollywood names — actress Jane Seymour and filmmaker Bill Mechanic, former Chairman and CEO of 20th Century Fox — the incubation classes also welcomed Singaporean filmmaker Anthony Chen, winner of the Caméra d'Or; , Singaporean producer and arts manager Yuni Hadi; Jacob Wong, Director of the Hong Kong International Film Festival's Industry Programme; and Korean producer Oh Jung-wan.
Singaporean director, screenwriter, and producer Anthony Chen, winner of the Caméra d'Or at Cannes for “Ilo Ilo” and a mentor at the Script Lab, said he was most impressed by the willingness of young Vietnamese filmmakers to learn. According to him, all the participants were ready to listen to feedback and reconsider their screenplays from different perspectives in order to improve their works.
Anthony Chen noted that Vietnamese cinema currently enjoys many favourable conditions, with a vibrant market and a promising young generation of directors. However, to sustain audience interest, the decisive factor remains the quality of each film.
From another perspective, Singaporean producer and arts manager Yuni Hadi said DANAFF Talents not only provides knowledge but also builds a creative community. She was impressed that participants spent time reading, giving feedback, and supporting one another's projects rather than focusing solely on their own works. In her view, cinema is a long journey, so colleagues who are willing to challenge and accompany young filmmakers can help them go further in the profession.
Jacob Wong, Director of the Hong Kong (China) International Film Festival's Industry Programme (HKIFF Industry), said some of this year's projects were still "immature" and had yet to fully explore the potential of their stories. However, he said this was not a weakness but a sign of potential for development. What young filmmakers need is more time, experience, and opportunities to receive feedback before entering production.
Sharing the same view, Korean producer Oh Jung-wan expressed hope that Vietnamese cinema would continue to feature more new voices and perspectives rather than simply choosing safe subjects. Meanwhile, Lorna Tee, Secretary-General of the Asian Film Alliance Network, praised the diversity of Vietnamese projects but noted that filmmakers need to understand the market without allowing it to limit their creativity. According to her, programmes such as the Script Lab and pitching sessions provide opportunities for projects to be tested, challenged, and refined before entering the production stage.
Values extending beyond the scope of a film festival
DANAFF's project development and training activities for a young, modern generation of filmmakers, as well as opportunities for networking, cooperation, and film-industry exchanges, have gone beyond the scope of a film festival and delivered tangible initial results.
DANAFF has left behind an ecosystem rather than just awards.
While film festivals were previously known mainly as places for screenings and awards ceremonies, DANAFF IV has demonstrated a different direction by investing heavily in project development and film-industry networking.
Alongside the Script Lab and project pitching sessions, the Industry Days series has created a space for filmmakers to meet producers, distributors, cinema chains, film funds and international partners.
According to Lorna Tee, Secretary-General of the Asian Film Alliance Network, DANAFF's value lies in creating a professionally organised networking space that helps international partners gain a better understanding of the Vietnamese film market as well as the projects currently in development. As a result, when the festival closes, many projects do not have to start from scratch but already have a foundation for continuing discussions on cooperation, co-production, and funding.
From the perspective of a film professional, director and producer Vo Thanh Hoa said DANAFF's value is not limited to the projects selected. Even without having a work selected for the Script Lab, young people can still learn by watching films, attending discussions, interacting with experts, and gradually building professional networks. In his view, what matters is not moving quickly but being sufficiently prepared for the long road in the profession.
Not every project emerging from the Script Lab will become a film. But what many young filmmakers take away after DANAFF IV is not merely a revised screenplay or an award but also a professional mindset, project development methods, new collaborators, and the confidence to continue pursuing their stories.
If the Script Lab, Industry Days and international networking activities continue to be maintained, DANAFF's success will not only be measured by the number of awards presented at each edition of the festival but also by the films born from the seeds sown here.
