Deputy Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Ta Quang Dong - Photo: Anh Vu
On October 31, 2025, Ho Chi Minh City was officially recognized by UNESCO as a Creative City in the field of Cinema. What is the significance of the 24th Vietnam Film Festival being held right after this landmark event, Deputy Minister?
Deputy Minister Ta Quang Dong: The 24th Vietnam Film Festival is one of the biggest national cultural and artistic events in 2025 - a year of important historical milestones for the country.
In particular, this year's Film Festival is held on the occasion of the 55th anniversary of the establishment and development of the Vietnam Film Festival (1970 - 2025), marking the journey of more than half a century of development of the national cinema. It is even more meaningful when this is the Film Festival organized in conjunction with the event of Ho Chi Minh City being officially recognized by UNESCO as a Creative City in the field of Cinema.
As scheduled, each Film Festival is an opportunity to honor outstanding artists and cinematographic works; to appreciate creativity and spread national cultural pride. In the context of the increasingly strong development of the film industry, the 24th Vietnam Film Festival opens up opportunities for cooperation between cinema and tourism, between culture and the creative economy , contributing to promoting the comprehensive and sustainable development of the country.
The 24th Vietnam Film Festival with the slogan "Vietnamese Cinema - Sustainable development and international integration in the new era"
Ho Chi Minh City - the venue for the 24th Vietnam Film Festival - is the largest and most vibrant film market in the country, a dynamic, creative economic and cultural center and a leader in Vietnam's international integration. Dozens of films are produced each year from film studios operating in the city, which gathers the top producers, directors, actors and film talents in Vietnam. Along with the vibrant development of the country's film industry, the team of filmmakers and film artists in Ho Chi Minh City are joining hands to write a new face for Vietnamese cinema in the new era - the era of the nation's aspiration.
With the slogan Vietnamese Cinema - Sustainable development and international integration in the new era, the 24th Vietnam Film Festival is not only a simple film event but also creates momentum for the film industry to enter a new stage of development, marking the integration and development of Vietnamese cinema on the global cinema map.
Many comments say that the 24th Vietnam Film Festival will provide a panoramic picture, showing the transformation of the country's cinema. What is the Deputy Minister's assessment of the voice of cinema in the current Vietnamese artistic life?
Over the past years, especially since the 23rd Vietnam Film Festival, the vitality and strong rise of Vietnamese cinema has been clearly demonstrated through the increasingly breakthrough quantity and quality of films. We have witnessed the continuous birth of many hundred billion dong films and blockbusters, making the film market increasingly vibrant. Vietnamese films not only create box office fever but also have many works that are positively received at international film festivals. The young generation of filmmakers is increasingly demonstrating their mettle, creativity, and confidence in raising their artistic voice.
The Film Festival will open on the evening of November 21 at Thong Nhat Hall with a special program, gathering many stars, opening a series of major film events to promote sustainable development and international integration.
Films in 2025 such as Red Rain, Tunnel: The Sun in the Dark, Deathmatch in the Sky ... and many other films have created a buzz, earning hundreds of billions of VND in revenue, contributing to the total box office revenue in Vietnam in the past two years growing by an average of over 20% per year.
In addition, documentaries and short films have also seen many improvements, with more and more works by young filmmakers winning awards at international film festivals. Vietnamese cinema has developed both in terms of market and art, creating its own voice in the region and the world .
The 24th Vietnam Film Festival also brings with it many expectations of breakthrough and new developments, affirming itself as a symbol of national cinema pride. Could you please tell us about the new features of this year's Film Festival season?
Each film festival focuses on creating new points to attract audiences, as well as affirming new steps forward for the 7th art. The same goes for the 24th Vietnam Film Festival. We are proud to affirm that this is one of the festivals with many new elements, recording the most records ever.
First of all, this is the Festival with the largest number of participating films ever, with 203 works - an impressive number demonstrating the creativity and great interest of production units.
Audiences excitedly lined up to receive tickets to the Film Week to welcome the Film Festival.
Not only the quantity but also the quality of the works participating in the Festival is a new record. In the feature film category alone, the 16 competing films have many names of "equal" quality, "blockbusters" worth hundreds of billions of dong that have caused a storm at the box office and are loved by the public such as Red Rain, Tunnel: Sun in the Dark, Death Battle in the Air... That overall picture shows that the selection of works worthy of the Golden Lotus Award this year will create the most intense competition in many years.
The categories of documentary, scientific and animated films also recorded a record number of entries, with many quality works.
This year, for the first time, the Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism will award 3 Certificates of Merit to honor individuals and groups with special contributions to the development of the country's cinema. These are Certificates of Merit to the Unit that distributes the most Vietnamese films between the two Festivals; Vietnamese individuals with special contributions to the development of Vietnamese cinema; and Foreign individuals with contributions to the promotion of Vietnamese cinema. These are categories to honor positive contributions, continuing to promote domestic cinema to the world.
A highlight that brings many expectations is the participation of 34 Departments of Culture, Sports and Tourism and film teams in 34 provinces and cities to exchange and promote local images, share experiences in "rolling out the red carpet" to attract film crews, and promote film screening activities to serve audiences.
Film Week and Panorama Film Screening Program were also expanded with many exchange activities between artists and audiences.
"Red Rain" is considered a strong candidate in the race to the Golden Lotus award for feature films this year.
Along with that are 3 meaningful seminars and workshops, connecting managers at all levels and domestic and international film activists: Seminar on Developing the Film Industry in the New Era, Seminar on Current Situation and Solutions to Attract Film Crews to Localities, Seminar on Promoting the Value of Archival Motion Picture Documents in the Current Situation...
With a series of rich activities and many new points, it is expected that the 24th Vietnam Film Festival will create more motivation for localities, businesses and social organizations to join hands in developing cinema - both from an artistic perspective and in connection with the cultural, tourism and service industries. Cinema must reach the general public, spreading the humanistic spirit, belief and aspiration for national development.
Could you please tell us about the preparations up to this point, when there is not much time left for the XXIV Film Festival to reach its final hour?
The festival will open on the evening of November 21 at Thong Nhat Hall with a special program, gathering many stars, opening a series of major cinema events to promote sustainable development and international integration. The red carpet event is expected to have the participation of about 1,200 artists from 203 films participating in the festival.
In Ho Chi Minh City, during the 5 days of the Film Festival, the public will enjoy a free "film party", including films from the Panorama Program and competition films, at 3 large cinema complexes: Galaxy Park Mall; CGV Hung Vuong Plaza; Cinestar Hai Ba Trung.
At Galaxy Nguyen Du cinema, there will be a screening and interaction with the film crew of Red Rain - the opening feature film of the Film Festival.
At this point, preparations for the Film Festival are ready. With careful preparation, the 24th Vietnam Film Festival will leave a deep impression on the public and international friends; thereby, contributing to affirming the mettle, position and breakthrough development of Vietnamese cinema in the new era.
Thank you very much, Deputy Minister!
Thu Trang (performed)
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