Promoting Vietnamese cinema during Cinema Week in Paris

For the first time, typical Vietnamese cinema works, including feature films, documentaries and short films produced over the 50 years since the country's reunification (April 30, 1975), will be introduced to the public in France during the Vietnam Cinema Week.

Dr. Ngo Phuong Lan (VFDA President, sitting in the middle) chaired the Press Conference at the Vietnam end with Producer Tran Thi Bich Ngoc (Vice President of VFDA, left) and Ms. Ly Phuong Dung (Vice President of VFDA, right)

On the morning of November 14, 2025 in Paris (the same afternoon in Vietnam), a press conference to introduce the "Vietnamese Cinema - Journey of Light" Week was held under the chairmanship of the Vietnamese Ambassador to France. At the Hanoi end, the program was chaired by Dr. Ngo Phuong Lan, President of the Vietnam Film Promotion and Development Association (VFDA).

The event attracted representatives of the Vietnamese Embassy in France, the organizing committee, artists, directors, filmmakers, and many press and media agencies of Vietnam and France. The press conference was not only an opportunity to announce the film week program but also marked the spirit of cultural cooperation between Vietnam and France, demonstrating the great interest of the filmmaking community and the public in this large-scale film event.

For the first time, typical Vietnamese cinema works, including feature films, documentaries and short films produced over the 50 years since the country's reunification (April 30, 1975), will be introduced to the public in France during the Vietnam Cinema Week, taking place from December 5 to 12, 2025 at Le Grand Rex cinema - the largest cinema in Europe, also one of the iconic cultural works of the capital Paris.

The event was co-organized by the Vietnam Film Promotion and Development Association (VFDA) and AVSE Global, under the auspices of the Embassy of Vietnam in France. This is the opening activity for the cultural program series "Vietnam - The Symphony of Love" initiated by AVSE Global, aiming to promote Vietnamese culture to the world through creative, unique and profound forms.

Mr. Dinh Toan Thang, Vietnamese Ambassador to France (sitting in the middle) chaired the Press Conference at the Paris (France) end.

According to Mr. Dinh Toan Thang, Ambassador of Vietnam to France: "The Vietnam Cinema Week in Paris is an opportunity to discuss in more depth the development of Vietnamese cinema, seek support, and expand new connections with French filmmakers. Thereby, we aim for stronger cooperation projects in the future, contributing to creating new marks in the Vietnam-France cultural cooperation relationship and contributing to a better future."

The theme "Vietnamese Cinema - Journey of Light" was directly selected by Dr. Ngo Phuong Lan, President of the Vietnam Film Promotion and Development Association (VFDA). Sharing at a press conference from Hanoi, she said the idea of ​​the name came from the spirit of the week: A journey of Vietnamese cinema from war to peace , from the Doi Moi period to the modern period, where cinema becomes a stream reflecting the strong rise of the country. It is also a journey to bring Vietnamese cinema to the capital of light - Paris.

She emphasized that the word "Lumière" – meaning "Light" in French – has many special layers of meaning: It not only evokes the image of Paris, but also recalls the Lumière brothers, the pioneers who gave birth to the world cinema industry with the invention of the Cinématographe projector in 1895.

"I believe that this film program will be worthy of the name we have given it," Dr. Ngo Phuong Lan shared.

The 17 selected films are those that have been selected and won awards at major international film festivals such as Hawaii, Cannes, Busan, Berlin, Nantes, etc., as well as high awards in Vietnam: When will October come, Wild Fields, Apartments, Retired Generals, Don't Be Afraid, Children in the Dew, Coolie Never Cries, I See Yellow Flowers on the Green Grass, Rain on Butterfly Wings, Brilliant Ashes, Wake Up and Be Ready, Clouds But Not Rain, Somewhere by the Hospital, Elephants by the Roadside, Song Lang, and newly produced films that are cultural and social phenomena in Vietnam such as Red Rain, Death Battle in the Air - premiered for the first time in Europe.

Each screening will open a journey to explore Vietnamese culture, history and people through the language of cinema. According to Dr. Ngo Phuong Lan, the Vietnamese Cinema Week in Paris is an opportunity for international audiences to look back on nearly half a century of Vietnamese cinema - a place that reflects the "journeys of light" of the nation: the light of peace after the war, the strong changes in the Doi Moi period and the modern appearance of the country in the industrialization - modernization period. The stories of life, human destiny and social changes expressed through the rich language of cinema, from classic to modern styles, from popular films to author films will create a diverse creative flow, rich in emotions and bearing the mark of Vietnam.

Speaking about the significance of the event, according to Prof. Nguyen Duc Khuong, Executive Director of EMLV Business School (France), Chairman of AVSE Global: "Vietnam Cinema Week in Paris is not only a cultural event, but also a bridge of emotions, knowledge and national pride. We wish to introduce to international friends a dynamic, humane and inspiring Vietnam, where the past and present blend together, towards a prosperous future and sustainable development".

Professor Nguyen Duc Khuong further emphasized: "Cinema, with its power to spread across borders, is the door for the world to understand Vietnam. Not only stopping in Paris, this is the first step in the journey to bring Vietnamese cinema to many other countries, expanding the global network of cultural and artistic cooperation."

The "Vietnamese Cinema - Journey of Light" Week is also a testament to the power of connection between the community of intellectuals, artists and Vietnamese culture lovers around the world. The event was formed from the spirit of volunteerism and cooperation of many generations of Vietnamese people in different fields - from cinema, academia to media, sharing the same aspiration to introduce Vietnamese culture to the world and shape a portrait of a modern, integrated and humane Vietnam.

Participating in the Vietnam Cinema Week in Paris will be cultural activists, film experts, Vietnamese filmmakers including famous directors, producers, actors and artists. In addition to the film screenings, the Vietnam Cinema Week in Paris program also includes: Panoramic photo exhibition on Vietnamese cinema; Exchanges and discussions with film lovers and young filmmakers; Vietnam-France cinema cooperation workshop; Special screenings and grand opening and closing ceremonies at Le Grand Rex and Pathé Palace cinemas.

This is an opportunity to promote dialogue and cooperation between Vietnamese and European cinema, as well as create a bridge for future creative projects.

According to Government Newspaper

Source: https://bvhttdl.gov.vn/quang-ba-dien-anh-viet-nam-trong-tuan-le-dien-anh-tai-paris-2025111809395547.htm