At the press conference, Dr. Ngo Phuong Lan, Chairwoman of the Vietnam Film Development Association, announced that the third Da Nang Asian Film Festival (DANAFF III) will run for seven days from June 29 to July 5, featuring a range of academic and professional highlights.
The number of participating films has seen a significant increase from 46 in its inaugural year to 63 in the second edition and now over 100 films in 2025. The festival will also host around 200 screenings, doubling the figure of previous years, underscoring its growing appeal and stature.
One of the highlights of DANAFF III is the launch of the “Panorama of Asian Cinema” program, which showcases outstanding films that have earned acclaim at international film festivals over the past year. Notably, several films choose DANAFF III to host their premieres.
In addition, the program will also mark the debut of the “Asian Film Critics Award.”
DANAFF III is also introducing a new program titled “DANAFF Talents—Emerging Talents in Cinema,” designed to nurture and connect young filmmakers through a series of professional development activities including acting workshops, a “Project Incubation Lab,” and master classes led by international experts. The Project Incubation Lab, which is held for the first time, has already garnered significant interest, with 14 promising projects selected from dozens of submissions.
The best project in the Asian Art Film category will receive EUR8,000 from France’s National Center for Cinema, along with three months of development support through the Mylab program.
In the Vietnamese Film category, a US$5,000 prize will be awarded by the Motion Picture Association (MPA).
Beyond its focus on new cinematic creativity, the third edition of the Da Nang Asian Film Festival (DANAFF III) also offers a space to review the history of Vietnamese cinema. A curated screening program titled "Half a Century of Vietnamese War Films" features 22 outstanding works, commemorating the 50th anniversary of the Liberation of the South and National Reunification (April 30, 1975–2025).
There will be a seminar entitled "The Imprint of Vietnamese War Cinema since National Reunification" bringing together prominent scholars and filmmakers.
DANAFF III also includes the “Cinema Spotlight” program to honor Korean cinema. Under the theme “Milestones of Korean Cinema through Time,” 14 representative films spanning from the 1960s to the present will be screened. Accompanying the screenings is a thematic seminar titled “Korean Cinema: Lessons in Global Success and Strategies for Industry Development.”
Speaking at the press conference, Associate Professor Dr. Ta Quang Dong, Deputy Minister of Culture, Sports, and Tourism, said that the efforts of the Vietnam Film Development Association have played a key role in advancing the film industry toward professionalism and global integration. DANAFF has become a dynamic platform for connecting domestic and international filmmakers.
Vice Chairwoman of the Da Nang People’s Committee, Nguyen Thi Anh Thi, highly appreciated the role of DANAFF III in promoting the image of Da Nang in particular and Vietnam in general to international audiences, contributing significantly to the tourism development.
This year, DANAFF III continues to offer signature competition and showcase programs, including the Asian Film Competition featuring 14 entries, the Vietnamese Film Competition with 12 selected films, and the Contemporary Vietnamese Cinema program, which highlights 18 newly released works.
The festival’s opening and closing ceremonies will be broadcast live on national television via VTV.
