Two decades of forming an independent film training environment in Vietnam: A journey of autonomy and creativity

NDO - Over the past 20 years, Vietnamese independent cinema has developed with the participation of many training centers such as: TPD, Hanoi DocLab, Varan Vietnam, Autumn Meeting... These are the cradles of inspiration, promoting independent thinking, creative practice and nurturing the young generation of filmmakers.

Space to nurture independent thinking

Established in 2002, the Center for Supporting and Developing Young Cinema Talents (TPD) - under the Vietnam Cinema Association is a pioneer in training independent filmmakers. With the principle of "learning goes hand in hand with practice", TPD organizes short-term courses on basic filmmaking, screenwriting, filming, editing, acting... for young people who love cinema. Here, students not only learn theory but also directly practice and produce short films right from the first lessons.

The “Teen Filmmakers” program developed by TPD specifically for 10 to 18 year olds is one of the outstanding initiatives. Not only is it an artistic playground, the program has created the initial foundation for many young directors such as Phan Huyen My, Ho Thanh Thao…

Their films have been screened at film festivals at home and abroad, many of which have won awards at the “Golden Lotus” – a biennial event organized by TPD to honor the center’s outstanding amateur and semi-professional filmmakers.

An art playground for young people. (Photo: TPD)

In addition to skills training, TPD also advocates creating a space for young filmmakers and the community to interact. Special film screenings, director exchanges, and workshops with international filmmakers have broadened their horizons, helped students update trends, and formed their own independent filmmaking mindset.

Mr. Nguyen Hoang Phuong, one of the founders and operators of TPD, shared that the important thing of the model is to create a sustainable ecosystem, financially self-sufficient through training courses, a community of lecturers, students, sponsors and accompanying creative spaces.

Established later than TPD, Hanoi DocLab was established in 2009 with the support of the Goethe Institute Hanoi, operating as a creative studio where young filmmakers are free to explore visual language and storytelling outside of traditional frameworks.

The center, founded and run in its first years by filmmaker Nguyen Trinh Thi, quickly became a destination for the community of creative documentary and video art lovers.

One of DocLab's typical activities is in-depth workshops such as "Calling Images" - guiding students to tell stories with sound before building images, opening up a reverse, emotional approach to cinematic creation.

From this learning environment, many young artists such as Nguyen Phuong Linh, Truong Que Chi... have expanded their practice from documentary films to performance art, video art and installation, creating a multidisciplinary ecosystem with its own unique color. DocLab was the organizer of the DocFest Experimental Documentary Film Festival (2009-2017), bringing the public the opportunity to access experimental cinema around the world .

Associated with the French live documentary film genre, Varan Vietnam began operating in 2004. The center has trained a generation of documentary directors with their own unique styles, such as Tran Phuong Thao, Ha Le Diem... Varan Vietnam is a rare documentary filmmaking training model in Vietnam following the spirit of "learning by doing" inheriting the tradition of the French Varan Association.

From hands-on camera-holding, recording, observing reality to post-production, students experience the entire filmmaking process in a serious way. What is special is that Varan focuses on exploring personal perspectives and the connection between the filmmaker and the character. This has created a generation of documentary directors rich in living material, humanity and an independent voice in the context of Vietnamese cinema forming its own identity.

The Center is also a bridge for Vietnamese documentary works to get closer to the world, through film festivals, film introduction series and international workshops.

Accompanying the development of Vietnamese cinema

TPD, DocLab, Varan Vietnam and a number of other independent creative groups have contributed to laying the foundation for independent cinema in Vietnam. Each center has its own methods and approaches but shares a common spirit: nurturing independent thinking, encouraging experimentation and respecting creative individuality.

Although not part of the formal training system, these centers have effectively supported the development of young directors through open classes with no entry barriers. These creative spaces have brought opportunities to many young people who have never attended a film school but have passion and unique ideas. Since then, Vietnamese cinema has had many new voices, diverse in topics, styles and perspectives.

Workshop sharing about filmmaking techniques.

In the context of the film industry expanding with many international cooperation models, independent training centers have affirmed their position as companions not only in training skills but also in creating an environment for Vietnamese cinema to be tested, criticized and developed in a diverse way.

What sets independent filmmaking centers apart is not only their training methods but also their autonomous operating philosophy. In a context where commercial cinema is increasingly dominated by box office criteria, the persistent presence of independent filmmakers shows that filmmaking is about creating dialogue and sharing inner thoughts.

Vietnamese independent cinema is currently at a new turning point, where international integration, digital technology and social media open up more opportunities for young filmmakers. However, it is necessary to have supportive policies and mechanisms for independent creative spaces to operate sustainably. Along with the participation of cultural organizations and film funds, the cultural and film industry also needs to recognize the practical role of these centers in the strategy of human resource development, content diversification and contemporary cinema.

Source: https://nhandan.vn/hai-thap-ky-hinh-thanh-moi-truong-dao-tao-phim-doc-lap-tai-viet-nam-hanh-trinh-tu-chu-va-sang-tao-post882660.html