Promoting cooperation and investment in Vietnam-France cinema

The seminar contributes to promoting cultural exchange, strengthening Vietnam-France cooperation, and affirming the strong development potential of Vietnamese cinema in the new period.

The discussion is one of the highlights of the "Vietnamese Cinema - Journey of Light" Week organized by the Vietnam Film Promotion Association (VFDA) in collaboration with the Global Vietnamese Science and Expert Organization (AVSE Global) from December 5-12.

Taking place in the context of Vietnamese cinema having many positive movements, strengthening connections with developed film industries, including France, a country with a complete film ecosystem and advanced support mechanisms, is an important factor helping Vietnamese films expand their market and improve their international competitiveness.

The development of Vietnamese cinema and enhanced cooperation with France

Opinions at the seminar emphasized the strong development of Vietnamese films, which continuously appear at prestigious international festivals. The young creative force is increasingly mature and the domestic market shows clear signs of growth.

In recent years, Vietnam has been a country that has organized international film festivals such as Haniff, Danaff in major cities such as Hanoi and Da Nang, creating professional prestige with countries in the region. At the same time, the Vietnamese Government's strategy for developing cultural industries until 2030 identifies cinema as one of the seven key industries. This is an important foundation for the film industry to break through and integrate more deeply with the world .

Ambassador Dinh Toan Thang hopes that cinema, as well as other cultural fields, will become a bridge and a new form of expression in promoting relations between the two countries and peoples.

Speaking at the seminar, Vietnamese Ambassador to France Dinh Toan Thang emphasized: The relationship between the two countries and the two peoples has been closely connected from the past to the present and will continue into the future. The two sides share many common visions.

In recent times, Vietnam-France exchanges have been taking place vigorously in many fields. Along with that, the cinemas of the two countries are also exploring increasingly effective and significant cooperation directions that better serve the development of cinema in each country.

Films with cooperation between Vietnam and France such as The Lover, Dien Bien Phu, Indochina... were widely released, achieved much success and had a large audience in Hanoi as well as in France.

Speakers analyzed bilateral advantages, from France's developed cinema ecosystem to Vietnam's young creative resources and expanding market, and pointed out possible directions for cooperation in production, training, distribution and international promotion.

Dr. Ngo Phuong Lan emphasized: "Under the auspices of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism; the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Vietnam and the Embassy of Vietnam in France, we expect to create a program that leaves an impression on Vietnamese cinema in particular and on the Vietnam-France friendship in general."

According to Dr. Ngo Phuong Lan, President of VFDA, Vietnam is at a time when cinema is very developed, especially in 2025 - the year marking a remarkable development in the market share of Vietnamese films, of the growth of the Vietnamese cinema market. In recent times, young and independent filmmakers have been invited, recognized and awarded at international film festivals.

The filmmaking atmosphere and success have stimulated investors and filmmakers not only in Vietnam but also in several countries in Asia and around the world to come to Vietnam.

Dr. Ngo Phuong Lan emphasized that Vietnamese cinema is one of the few cinemas in Asia that has fully recovered after the Covid-19 pandemic. Revenue of Vietnamese cinema in 2024 has grown by more than 20%. The two films "Red Rain" and "Fighting in the Sky" both set box office records, giving domestic cinema audiences a completely changed view of the country's cinema industry.

Dr. Ngo Phuong Lan hopes that 2026 will be a year of stronger and more effective development and will truly bring more specific and effective results in the cooperation between Vietnamese and French cinema.

Mr. Dinh Ngoc Duc, Director of the Vietnam Cultural Center in France, emphasized: Effective cooperation in cinema will create an effective tool to promote cultural exchange and tourism.

According to Mr. Dinh Ngoc Duc, Director of the Vietnam Cultural Center in France, cinema is not only an art or a story shown on screen, but also a cultural bridge, a soft power to promote tourism, people-to-people exchange, enhance mutual understanding, and open up many cooperation opportunities, including economic. France is the cradle of world cinema. Vietnam is a cultural treasure with stories imbued with Asian characteristics, which are becoming and will become a new inspiration for international filmmakers.

Films set in Vietnam such as Dien Bien Phu, Indochina... have created a wave of international tourists, especially French tourists, traveling to Vietnam, making France one of the leading markets for European tourists in Vietnam.

Young filmmaker Le Binh Giang expressed: "As a young filmmaker, I always want to find opportunities to cooperate with international filmmakers, especially in France - the cradle of many talented directors and famous films. I hope to learn and cooperate with filmmakers and film funds in France to get closer to world cinema. In the future, I also hope there will be more cooperation programs between France and Vietnam to promote the development of cinema in both countries. When we develop together, we not only create value for cinema but also contribute to promoting culture, tourism and the image of Vietnam internationally."

According to Mr. Mathieu Ripka, the two countries' cinemas can strengthen cooperation in areas such as production, distribution, exploitation, creation and management cooperation.

Mr. Mathieu Ripka, representative of the Association of Authors-Directors-Producers (ARP), highly appreciated Vietnam's deep awareness of the importance of culture and cultural industry in economic development and strengthening national influence, similar to the way France used culture to create power. Cinema has an important position in culture because it is both artistic and popular, can help gather the public and build national spirit.

According to Mr. Mathieu Ripka, to reach more French audiences, the prerequisite is the quality of the work and the ability to convey it to touch the emotions of the French audience.

Specific proposals and solutions

From practical experiences, the speakers proposed solutions to help the two film industries increase exchanges, effectively exploit each other's resources and jointly create projects that can compete in the global market.

Major General Do Trieu Phong, Director of the People's Public Security Media Department, suggested that the two countries strengthen cooperation in developing screenwriters, directors and investment to jointly produce films.

Mr. Mathieu Ripka affirmed: This cooperation can still be expanded, especially in the field of distribution. That is to create conditions for French films to access the Vietnamese market and Vietnamese films to access the French market. We have a cinema system everywhere in the country and we are very knowledgeable in this field of exploitation. Therefore, the two sides need to have more exchanges to cooperate in this field, a strength of France.

Mr. Mathieu Ripka hopes that in the near future there will be a film co-produced between France and Vietnam to represent the two countries in competing for an Oscar.

The workshop is one of the highlights of the "Vietnamese Cinema - Journey of Light" Week taking place in Paris from December 5-12.

Producer Tran Thi Bich Ngoc, one of the representative faces of modern Vietnamese cinema, commented: Looking back at the history of Vietnamese cinema development, it is clear that in recent years, Vietnamese cinema and French cinema have cooperated at a better level. Previously, we only provided services, now we have moved towards co-production. French producers have accompanied Vietnamese directors to create together, own the film together and bring the film to the world together.

Film managers, producers and distributors agree that cooperation between the two countries not only brings financial resources, but also helps access to a team of highly qualified and experienced artists, helping Vietnamese films access the world cinema language, while still maintaining their own unique qualities.

Many outstanding Vietnamese films were also introduced to the French public at events during the Vietnamese Cinema Week in Paris.

On December 5, 2025, the Vietnam Cinema Week in Paris will officially open at Le Grand Rex - the largest cinema in Europe and also one of the cultural symbols of Paris. Not only marking the beginning of the journey to introduce 17 typical Vietnamese cinema works to the international audience, the opening ceremony is also an opportunity to gather managers, directors, artists and film experts from home and abroad.

List of films shown at Le Grand Rex and Pathé Palace cinemas during Vietnamese Cinema Week in Paris:

1. The Wasteland (1979)

2. When is October (1984)

3. Retired General (1988)

4. Apartment (1999)

5. Don't Be Afraid (2009)

6. I See Yellow Flowers on the Green Grass (2015)

7. Song Lang (2018)

8. Children in the Mist (2021)

9. Blazing Ashes (2022)

10. Coolie Never Cry (2024)

11. Rain on Butterflies (2024)