Vietnamese cinema and the aspiration to reach the world

From October 27 to November 5, 2025, Vietnamese cinema attended the 38th Tokyo International Film Festival (TIFF), Japan - the largest film event in Asia. Over the years, Vietnamese cinema has been actively and proactively present at many major forums and events in the world.

VFDA President Ngo Phuong Lan introduces the Da Nang Asian Film Festival and filming locations in Vietnam to international guests. (Photo: VFDA)

At TIFF 2025, Vietnam will for the first time have an independent and official booth at TIFFCOM, one of the largest film and television fairs in Asia. The booth has the theme "The voice of Vietnamese cinema reaching out to the world" organized by the Vietnam Film Promotion Association (VFDA) in coordination with the Vietnamese Embassy in Japan and localities (Da Nang, Quang Ninh, Son La, Dien Bien , Hai Phong). The workshop "Vietnam on screen: Regional voice, reaching out to the world" also attracted hundreds of producers, directors, and distributors.

Dr. Ngo Phuong Lan, Chairman of VFDA, said: “VFDA is attending the 38th TIFF with a much larger scale and more diverse activities than in 2019 and 2022. Through a series of promotional activities, we hope to continue promoting Vietnamese cinema in key international markets and film festivals.”

Previously, at the 30th Busan International Film Festival (BIFF) in Korea (September 17-26, 2025), VFDA organized activities such as seminars, booths and bilateral working sessions. Similarly, at the 78th Cannes Film Festival (May 2025) in France, the Vietnamese delegation introduced to friends from other countries the panorama of Vietnamese cinema and its international integration; the film production capacity of Vietnamese film enterprises; and organized the program "Vietnamese Cinema Night".

Vietnamese cinema needs playgrounds like HANIFF for Vietnamese creativity to meet the world and affirm national identity.

People's Artist Dang Nhat Minh

Director of the National Tourism Administration Nguyen Trung Khanh emphasized: “We are making efforts to build a more favorable environment for film production, support foreign film crews, and expand partnerships in promoting destinations through cinema and digital media.”

Along with “going abroad”, Vietnamese cinema also invites the world to international film festivals held in Vietnam, creating a multi-dimensional exchange environment. Typical examples include the Hanoi International Film Festival (HANIFF), the Da Nang Asian Film Festival (DANAFF)... At the 7th HANIFF (2024) with the slogan “Cinema: Creativity - Take Off”, it gathered 117 films from 51 countries, attracting 800 international delegates. In addition to film screenings, seminars, talks, masterclasses (intensive training programs) and other sideline activities, the event also stimulates cultural dialogue between cinemas.

People's Artist Dang Nhat Minh said: "Vietnamese cinema needs playgrounds like HANIFF for Vietnamese creativity to meet the world and affirm national identity."

Mr. Dang Tran Cuong, Director of the Department of Cinema (Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism) believes: "HANIFF is taking off, becoming a symbol of integration for Vietnamese cinema".

Recently, the 3rd DANAFF event took place from June 29 to July 5, 2025 with the theme “DANAFF - Asia Bridge” continuing to demonstrate Vietnam’s determination in building a professional, international cinema playground. In addition to introducing and honoring excellent cinema works, the event also opened up a space for meeting, cooperation and spreading inspiration among filmmakers, artists and audiences.

Promotion and advertising activities for Vietnamese cinema in recent years have brought positive results. According to the Department of Cinema, domestic market revenue increased by an average of 20% per year in the period 2021-2023 and continued to grow strongly in the two years 2024-2025. Cinema is also a "messenger" to promote tourism and promote the national image, such as the films "I see yellow flowers on green grass" (2015), "Kong: Skull Island" (2017), "Mat biec" (2019).

Vietnamese cinema can only truly integrate when it maintains its national identity, and needs to use its Vietnamese identity to conquer the world.

People's Artist Dang Nhat Minh

To realize the aspiration to reach the world, experts say that Vietnamese cinema needs specific strategies. First of all, it is necessary to build a comprehensive support ecosystem: from preferential tax policies for international film crews to investment in infrastructure, post-production, creating a favorable environment, long-term cooperation to attract investment, turning Vietnam into a leading destination in Asia.

Second, focus on training talents, expand international cooperation to foster human resources, improve the quality of scripts and technology. Finally, focus on and prioritize content that reflects national cultural identity, in line with the trend of global integration, as mentioned in the Strategy for the Development of Vietnam's Cultural Industries to 2030, with a vision to 2045.

People's Artist Dang Nhat Minh emphasized that Vietnamese cinema can only truly integrate when it maintains its national identity, and needs to use Vietnamese identity to conquer the world.

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Source: https://nhandan.vn/dien-anh-viet-nam-va-khat-vong-vuon-tam-the-gioi-post921921.html