Amidst the globalisation and international integration, the Vietnamese cinema industry has actively participated in and organised international film festivals and Vietnamese film weeks abroad to promote the country’s land, culture and people to the world.
According to statistics from the Department of International Cooperation under the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, since 2010, Vietnam has participated in nearly 150 international film festivals with 330 entries; with some of them being submitted to the prestigious Oscar awards and many other prestigious film festivals, such as the Cannes, Berlin, Shanghai, Tokyo, and Busan film festivals.
In 2023, the film ‘Ben Trong Vo Ken Vang’ (Inside the Yellow Cocoon Shell) by young director Pham Thien An won the Caméra d'Or (Golden Camera) at the 76th Cannes Film Festival.
Previously, the documentary ‘Nhung Dua Tre Trong Suong’ (Children of the Mist) brought young female director Ha Le Diem the Award for Best Directing at the International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam in 2021. The film was also among the 15 entries shortlisted for the Documentary Feature category at the 95th Academy Awards (Oscars).
A number of films by other young Vietnamese independent filmmakers have also won high prizes at film festivals in Busan (Republic of Korea), Fajr (Iran), and Tokyo (Japan).
According to experts, most of the Vietnamese films that have participated in international festivals have common features of carrying humane messages, showing directors’ creativity in exploring the cinematic language and introducing the majestic beauty of Vietnam's nature and the life and culture of its people.
Along with sending films to international film festivals, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism has also hosted assorted programmes to promote Vietnamese cinema abroad, such as Vietnamese Film Weeks in Cuba, Argentina, Iran, Bahrain, and Qatar.
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| Pham Thien An (R) receives Caméra d'Or award at 2023 Cannes Film Festival for his film ‘Ben Trong Vo Ken Vang’ (Inside the Yellow Cocoon Shell) (Photo: 2023 Cannes Film Festival) |
Notably, a programme was organised to introduce 20 classic Vietnamese films at the 36th Film Festival of the Three Continents in France in 2023.
In addition, the Hanoi International Film Festival and Da Nang Asian Film Festival have been held annually, gaining much appreciation and participation of renowned filmmakers, actors and actresses from around the world and Vietnam.
The Law on Cinema, which took effect on January 1, 2023, creates a favourable legal corridor for the development of the country's film industry as the law determines that cinema is not only an art but an industry and an economic sector.
However, specific appropriate mechanisms and policies are needed to realise the law, fully make use of the creative capacity of Vietnamese people and filmmakers, attract domestic and foreign investment in cinema, and encourage public-private partnership in film production and distribution.
Experts have pointed out the main reason why Vietnamese cinema has not yet reached the international market is the lack of professional human resources and close coordination among those working in the industry, not to mention the limitations in promoting Vietnamese films internationally.
Regarding human resources, there are only the University of Theatre and Cinema in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, the Military University of Culture and Arts, and a number of art training faculties at other universities provide the training for the cinema industry.
Supporting activities at film schools, such as film making camps and training courses have not been organised regularly nor effectively at film schools.
In countries with developed film industries, screenwriting is a promising profession, with good income and appropriate honours. They even have the right to choose directors and actors to work with.
Meanwhile, in Vietnam, the screenwriting team is still lacking in both number and experience. The similar situation is also in other personnel in the industry including directors, actors, actresses and cameramen.
Experts stressed that to boost the development of the film industry, fundamental changes must start from the human resource training. It not only helps the Vietnamese film industry have a rich and abundant source of human resources but also contributes to discovering talents, good scripts, and good filmmakers who can bring Vietnamese cinema to the world.
