Remove obstacles to attract film crews.

Policies and strategies to attract film crews have been in place for many years, but putting them into practice still faces many difficulties, sometimes stemming from very small obstacles. The gap between words and actions demands concrete, simple yet effective steps.

Rekindling old stories

At the workshop "Current Situation and Solutions for Attracting Film Crews to Local Areas" within the framework of the 24th Vietnam Film Festival, filmmakers shared real-life stories, reflecting both the positive support and the remaining difficulties in coordinating with local authorities.

Cao Bang is one of the main filming locations for the movie "The Ghost Lamp". Photo: DPCC

Director Bui Thac Chuyen stated that the film "Tunnels: The Sun in the Darkness" received crucial support from the Ministry of National Defense and assurances from the Ho Chi Minh City leadership. However, the crew had to reschedule or postpone filming several times due to the excessively loud karaoke noise from a residential area about 1km away from the filming location. He suggested that local authorities should conduct awareness campaigns to help people better understand filmmaking, thereby creating a more professional production environment.

Director Vo Thanh Hoa shared that, through the process of making films in many localities such as Hue, Dak Lak, Phu Quoc Special Economic Zone (An Giang), and Lam Dong, each place has a different way of working. Based on that practical experience, Director Vo Thanh Hoa suggested that each locality should send an official to "learn filmmaking" with the film crew to understand the production process, thereby providing more thorough and effective support.

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Producer and director Mai Thu Huyen raised concerns about international cooperation. When showcasing Vietnam's beautiful scenery to foreign partners, she was hesitant when asked about preferential policies and tax refunds. One project was almost certain to be filmed in Vietnam, but when Malaysia offered a 30% tax refund, she no longer had a basis to convince them. "If we don't implement a concrete solution soon, it will be very difficult to attract cooperation," producer and director Mai Thu Huyen lamented.

From an international perspective, producer Andy Ho (Singapore) believes that the level of Vietnamese cinema is now on par with Thailand. However, major obstacles remain in licensing procedures, legal frameworks, and tax refund policies. This is clearly demonstrated by statistics: from the beginning of 2025 to the present, 279 international film crews have come to Thailand, while Vietnam has only had 18 projects!

It's easy to say, but hard to do.

According to Deputy Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Ta Quang Dong, the journey from resolution to practice is a long one with many obstacles. He cited Ho Chi Minh City as an example, where despite having policies, resources, personnel, guidelines, and ideas, implementation still faces many difficulties. For instance, obtaining permission to film in squares or central areas is still hampered by procedures related to traffic and public order. "Local authorities need to proactively find ways to balance what the film crew needs with what the city desires and has available," Deputy Minister Ta Quang Dong emphasized.

Ms. Luu Thi Ngoc Mai, Deputy Director of the Vietnam Center for Cinema, Culture, Sports and Tourism, believes that the previous successes of Phu Yen with "I See Yellow Flowers on Green Grass" or Ninh Binh with "Kong: Skull Island" highlight the lesson that without a long-term plan, the appeal of cinema will fade very quickly. A model of collaboration between the three parties – the state, filmmakers, and tourism – supporting and sharing benefits, will ensure that each film is both an artistic product and a tool for promoting tourism.

From an international perspective, Mr. Lee JinSung, Director of RUNUP Vietnam (a company specializing in film production and distribution), proposed two solutions to proactively promote international cooperation projects. First, it is necessary to carefully assess the scripts and filming plans of international film crews to minimize risks during production.

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Furthermore, if more detailed data on filming locations and facilities in Vietnam were available, foreign filmmakers could actively promote this material, thereby fostering more international collaboration projects. Agreeing with this view, many delegates suggested establishing film departments in localities to act as a central point of contact for supporting film crews with procedures, locations, logistics, etc.

VAN TUAN - THUY BINH

Source: https://www.sggp.org.vn/go-nhung-diem-nghen-de-thu-hut-doan-phim-post825294.html