Vietnam won two first prizes at the 2025 Southeast Asian Children's Film Festival

The documentary film Khal's Walk (Khai's Feet) produced and directed by Hong Hanh won First Prize in the Professional Non-Fiction category.

This is the fifth edition of the Festival, bringing together works from 10 Southeast Asian countries with 25 films entering the final round.

According to information from Vietnam Television this morning, the judging session took place in a serious and impartial working atmosphere with the participation of 30 international judges. The panel was coordinated by Ms. HuynSook Chung - a senior Korean producer, a familiar name in the field of children's films worldwide , who has won many prestigious awards such as Prix Jeunesse, Japan Prize and Chicago International Children's Festival. The diversity and prestige of the panel of judges has contributed to enhancing the competitiveness, while affirming the increasingly clear position of the Festival in the region.

Among the six categories for professional manufacturers, Vietnam was honored in two important categories.

In the Professional Non-Fiction category, for children aged 8-12, the documentary Khal's Walk (Khai's Feet) produced and directed by Hong Hanh won First Prize.

The film tells the touching story of Khai - a boy with physical difficulties but always faces life with optimism and extraordinary determination. The daily challenges are shown through the main character's clear eyes and persistent smile. The work not only depicts the journey of overcoming adversity but also honors the value of friendship and love, thereby conveying a positive message about the inner strength of children.

The second First Prize went to the animated film Little Wonders: Cherishing Friend in the Professional Fiction category, for children 7 years old and under.

The work was directed by Le Binh, with a script by editor Kieu Phuong, inspired by a true story about her grandfather and son. With artistic paper-cut animation, the film tells the journey of Bi - a carefree boy learning to overcome misunderstandings with his friend To To after a small conflict on the soccer field. Memories of his grandfather's teachings help Bi realize the value of understanding and the importance of "keeping the peace " in friendship. The story ends with a warm reconciliation scene, both gentle and educational.

Both works were produced by the Department of Education and Future - Science and Education Department, Vietnam Television and broadcast on VTV7 channel. This achievement demonstrates the film crew's persistent efforts in creating quality, humane television products for children; at the same time, affirms Vietnam's increasingly prominent role in the Southeast Asian children's content production network.

The two highest awards at this year's Festival are not only a source of pride for television workers, but also demonstrate the great creative potential of young teams in bringing humane Vietnamese stories to the international stage.

Hai Phong

Source: https://nhandan.vn/viet-nam-gianh-hai-giai-nhat-tai-lien-hoa-phim-tre-em-dong-nam-a-2025-post923458.html