Vietnamese cinema's mark in the Asian market

One can mention Quan Ky Nam by director Leon Le appearing in the category A Window on Asian Cinema (a collection of outstanding works by Asian filmmakers). Previously, Quan Ky Nam appeared at the Toronto International Film Festival in the Special Screening category and is preparing to attend the Hawaii International Film Festival this October. The work has been highly appreciated by many international review sites for its set design, image quality, and sophisticated script.

Producer Nguyen Huu Thi Tuong Vi and director Nguyen Pham Thanh Dat won the Kantana award for the project Flying Cow at BIFF 2025

PHOTO: MOUNTER

The film "The Bridegroom's Contract" by director Le Van Kiet also appeared in the Midnight Passion category dedicated to horror and suspense at BIFF. In this category, there are other highly rated works, notably "Weapons" by Zach Cregger, inspired by the photo "Napalm Girl". The Bridegroom's Contract is also the first Vietnamese film to be listed in this category, showing the growing development of the horror genre that has been "reigning" in the domestic market in the past few years. The BIFF organizing committee highly appreciated the work, and also commented that director Le Van Kiet combined indigenous beliefs with body horror films, thereby opening a new chapter for Asian folk horror.

The Vietnamese context also appeared in many collaborative works at BIFF, such as The River That Holds Our Hands by Hong Kong director Tran Kien Hang in the Window on Asian Cinema category A, a Saigon or Ho Chi Minh City changing day by day was reflected through the story of an old Chinese woman who wanted to return to her childhood, before the Indochina War broke out. Meanwhile, the documentary Hair, Paper and Water ... by Truong Minh Quy in collaboration with Belgian director Nicolas Graux in the Wide Angle category (for experimental works) depicted the daily life of Hau - a Ruc ethnic woman, thereby showing the effort to preserve indigenous cultural values and the continuity of the next generation. Within the framework of BIFF's Asian Project Market, Flying Cow by director Nguyen Pham Thanh Dat and producer Nguyen Huu Thi Tuong Vi won the Kantana award, opening up opportunities to meet and cooperate with foreign investors and producers.

At the same time, Lien Binh Phat has just become the first Vietnamese actor to be nominated at the prestigious Golden Bell Awards of Taiwanese television. The actor was nominated for his excellent performance in the international co-production The Outlaw Doctor, co-starring with Taiwanese actress Truong Quan Ninh. The film previously received a score of 8.2/10 on the Douban platform, affirming its artistic quality and audience reception. In the film, Lien Binh Phat plays a doctor facing a dilemma in his career and is highly appreciated for his ability to portray emotional depth.