Lack of a platform for short films.

During a discussion on the topic of "Short Films - A Platform for Young Film Festivals," held as part of the launch of the Vietnamese Short Film Competition (Vietnamese 2025), Dr. Ngo Phuong Lan, President of the Vietnam Film Development Promotion Association, stated that the current platform for short films in Vietnam is still limited. To make short films more widely known, more specialized awards and film festivals are needed to encourage this genre.

Also at this event, Dr. Ngo Phuong Lan highlighted two important roles of short films. First, short films are a place to discover, nurture, and launch cinematic talents. Many successful directors started with short films, such as Tran Anh Hung and Bui Thac Chuyen.

Secondly, short films help maintain professionalism in filmmaking. When moving on to feature films, many directors have to chase the market, using gimmicks to attract viewers. Meanwhile, short films, with their limited running time, always demand high professional standards. To make an impression, the film must be unique and tell a story in a fresh way, one that no one has ever told before.

Producer and director Thu Trang also admitted that making professional films requires a lot of planning regarding the market and actors, which diminishes the initial carefree attitude. Currently, the short film movement is developing strongly in Vietnam, attracting a large number of young people to participate.

This is an inevitable trend, especially as short films increasingly have more opportunities to reach audiences through online platforms. However, the number of professional platforms for short films remains very limited.

Some notable competitions in recent times include: CJ Short Film Project, Green Screen, 14-Day Short Film, Storytellers… Previously, there were many prestigious competitions that have now ceased or been interrupted, such as: YxineFF; 48-Hour Film Challenge; 3, 2, 1 Action… Most recently, in 2024, Ho Chi Minh City will host the first Ho Chi Minh City Short Film Festival and is expected to maintain it annually.

In reality, many major awards and film festivals still have categories for short films. However, according to Dr. Ngo Phuong Lan, this arrangement often overshadows and diminishes the attention given to feature films. Therefore, creating a separate platform for short films not only meets the expectations of filmmakers but also boosts their confidence, allowing them to participate more proactively.
In particular, if Vietnamese cinema can realize its potential by creating international platforms for short films, it will be a promising direction. Compared to the feature film scene – which already has thousands of film festivals and fierce competition – short films still have many opportunities to break through and assert their own value and identity.

VAN TUAN

Source: https://www.sggp.org.vn/thieu-san-choi-cho-phim-ngan-post797880.html