Although the two movies didn’t earn prizes in all of the four nominations, film experts believe that conquering regional and well-organised film festivals is a necessary step to help the Vietnamese film makers gain more experience and foster integration into world cinema.
As one of the prominent international film festivals in Southeast Asia, AIFFA was launched in 2013 to provide a venue for ASEAN directors, cinematographers, actors, and fans to celebrate excellent movies from the region.
This year’s event attracted up to 120 films from filmmakers across countries in the region. The jury had to select 34 films for an official competition round.
Livan Tayang, the Director of the Film Festival, expressed her excitement when saying that all the films on the shortlist demonstrated excellence and richness in storytelling.
She hailed that directors of the 34 shortlisted films demonstrated exceptional skills in exploring challenging themes with unique nuances and astonishing authenticity. These films are a testament to the talent and dedication of all the directors and crews.
Two of the Vietnamese movies participating in the festival received a total of four nominations: Nguyen Hai Yen and Tran Ngoc Khuyen of ‘Memento Mori: Dat’ were nominated as best actress and best director of cinematography, while Nha Uyen and Kim B of ‘Dem Toi Ruc Ro’ were nominated for best screenplay and best support actress.
As a result, Kim B won the Best Support Actress award.
Born in 1989 in Bien Hoa City, Dong Nai Province, Kim B is not a professional actress but a makeup artist.
She has participated in makeup in famous film projects including ‘Kong: Skull Island’ by director Jordan Roberts - a famous Hollywood movie set in Vietnam. Kim B's role as Kim Bao in ‘Dem Toi Ruc Ro’ is her first role in the film industry.
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Kim B's role as Kim Bao in ‘Dem Toi Ruc Ro’ is her first role in the film industry. |
Telling the story of domestic abuse, ‘Dem Toi Ruc Ro’ was directed by American filmmaker Aaron Toronto and his wife, actress Nha Uyen, who also served as the lead actress and screenwriter of the film.
Aaron Toronto has lived in Vietnam for 16 years, which has helped him in extensively researching the customs of people in the southern region for the making the film.
Previously, ‘Dem Toi Ruc Ro’ won the Golden Kite Award of the Vietnam Cinema Association in 2021 in the categories of Best Cinematography, Best Cinematography and Best Supporting Actor. Notably, Nha Uyen bagged the double award for best screenwriter and leading actress.
The movie then brought home the best story and best female performance awards at the 2022 Santa Fe Film Festival in New Mexico, the US.
It is heartening that in recent years, many domestic films that have won awards at international film festivals.
Experts say that participating in domestic and regional well-organised film festivals is the first step necessary for Vietnamese film makers and those working in the industry to gain valuable experience and gradually integrate into the rapidly growing international film industry.
