Ho Chi Minh City - a creative destination for regional cinema

Ho Chi Minh City's official joining of the UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN) in the field of cinema is not only a source of pride for the city, but also a reminder of responsibility, so that Ho Chi Minh City cinema can truly reach out to the region with its own creativity and identity.

Investing in infrastructure and legacy human resources

Becoming a Creative City in the field of cinema is a very proud milestone, not only for Ho Chi Minh City but also for the entire Vietnamese cinema industry. Being admitted to the UCCN network is an international recognition of the production capacity, creative potential and cultural influence of the city's cinema - which is considered to have the largest film production market share in the country.

When a city is named in the UCCN network, the door to international cooperation is also opened wider. We can share technology, ideas, human resources; welcome more projects, investment funds, film festivals, creative support programs... And most importantly, being a part of UCCN will also contribute to raising the brand of Ho Chi Minh City cinema on the regional map.

However, after the joy, there are many things that need to be done, first of all, investing in production infrastructure and training the next generation of human resources. A cinema city cannot just have many cinemas or studios, but must have a young creative team that is well-trained and encouraged to create.

Cinema is a collective work, where every stage, from director, actors to technicians, sound, lighting, cameramen, special effects… are equally important. And only when there is a synchronous human resource ecosystem, Ho Chi Minh City will truly deserve the title of “cinema city”.

Actress Hong Anh (left) on the red carpet of the 2024 Ho Chi Minh City International Film Festival. Photo: Dung Phuong

Another thing that has also received a lot of attention is that the city needs to soon build a Film Office, a digital “cinema information portal”. There, any film crew coming to work can easily find instructions on procedures, issues to pay attention to, introductions to filming locations, and support services. We have had very good experience doing this in the tourism sector, and cinema can absolutely learn from it.

Cinema-friendly city

Cinema is ultimately a human story. Therefore, sustainable cinema development must start from the audience community. For a long time, Ho Chi Minh City cinematographers have been looking forward to having more community cinema screening spaces, where audiences can watch independent films, short films, documentaries, small genres but full of the "breath" of creativity. When audiences are exposed to many styles, they will form their taste, and from there, nurture the entire cinema industry.

As a filmmaker for many years, I also dream of film education being introduced into schools, not only to teach filmmaking skills, but also to inspire love, aesthetics and pride for the city. When people understand, love and are proud of the place they live, they will tell more beautiful and profound stories about that land.

Currently, Ho Chi Minh City has expanded its administrative boundaries through the merger with Binh Duong and Ba Ria - Vung Tau to become the megacity of Ho Chi Minh City. In my opinion, this is a great opportunity, because our city now not only has a dynamic urban life, but also has rivers, seas, islands, rural areas, and craft villages - extremely rich contexts for hundreds of stories.

If there is a clear strategy, from simplifying filming licensing procedures, building film studios, post-production centers, to creative support funds, Ho Chi Minh City can completely become a true “film-friendly city”. A film-friendly city not only attracts film crews to film, but also creates an environment for people to participate and benefit from film activities. Many countries have succeeded in developing tourism and creative economy through cinema. And certainly, if done well, Ho Chi Minh City can do it too.

Cinema, like many other art forms, if told with sincere inspiration from the land and people here, will have the most lasting vitality. Ho Chi Minh City is always a convergence of cultures, a city of openness, dynamism and aspiration, and that is an endless source of inspiration for cinema.

If we have a long-term strategy, investing in the right direction for people, infrastructure and creativity, then Ho Chi Minh City cinema will not only be the center of the whole country, but can also become a creative destination in the region. The important thing is to keep cinema open-minded, humane and always human-oriented, like the life of this city.

Director - actress HONG ANH

Source: https://www.sggp.org.vn/tphcm-diem-den-sang-tao-cua-dien-anh-khu-vuc-post821555.html