Short film contests nurture new Vietnamese film talent

According to Nguyen Hoang Hai, Content Director of CJ CGV Vietnam, Vietnamese cinema is developing, particularly the domestic film market. In the first six months of 2026, Vietnamese films accounted for about 70 percent of the box office.

As the market grows, demand for human resources is also increasing. Developing high-quality talent requires more contests to discover and nurture emerging filmmakers. This creates a positive cycle that contributes to the continued growth of the Vietnamese film market.

Asked what the continued emergence of short film contests reflects about the Vietnamese film market whether it is a sign of development or also reveals gaps that need to be filled, Director of CJ CGV Vietnam Nguyen Hoang Hai said it is both.

On the one hand, the growing number of contests shows that Vietnamese short films have significant potential. On the other hand, the lack of properly trained young filmmakers exposes a core weakness of the domestic film industry: Vietnam does not yet have a school or academy dedicated solely to cinema, as many other countries do. This means young people lack opportunities to receive specialized training from the outset.

In addition, the market is short of personnel in several important positions, particularly producers. Even at the university level, there are currently almost no specialized training programs for producers, despite their role in leading an entire film project. As a result, producers in Vietnam currently rely mainly on practical experience rather than formal training, the Director of CJ CGV Vietnam said.

Assessing the development of Vietnam’s short film market, he said it has not yet formed an ecosystem but has moved beyond being a spontaneous movement. The growth of short films stems from genuine demand and is helping nurture a generation of young people passionate about filmmaking.

However, he said that to develop into a true ecosystem, stronger involvement from state management agencies is needed through support policies, training programs and structured development mechanisms for young people interested in cinema.

Director Nguyen Hoang Hai revealed that the initial goal of the CJ Short Film Project was to seek and discover young talents for Vietnamese cinema, create a platform where they could participate and develop, and support young filmmakers in bringing Vietnamese cinematic voices to international film festivals and winning awards. He said the project had achieved those goals in its early editions.

However, over the past two to three years, the project has adjusted its approach. In addition to participating in international film festivals, young filmmakers must demonstrate their ability to contribute to the development of the domestic film industry by taking part in the production of theatrical films. The project has recorded several successes to date.

Director Doan Si Nguyen, from the fourth season, is working on his second feature film, Tai uong ( The Scourge) following Dieu uoc cuoi cung (The Final Wish). Director Nguyen Pham Thanh Dat, from the fifth season, has Bo sua bay (Flying dairy cow), which is expected to be released in theaters later this year. Director Pham Thien An, from the sixth season, is preparing to make his first feature film after his short Giac mo la oc sen (Dreams are snails).