Among the collection, wartime films produced by Vietnamese cinema before and after national reunification account for a significant portion. These works are carefully preserved in accordance with strict technical standards in the institute’s archival storage system.
Ms. Le Thi Ha, Director of the Vietnam Film Institute, said that over the years, exploiting and popularizing revolutionary cinema heritage and Vietnamese wartime films have always been one of the Institute’s top priorities and areas of focused investment.
In 2023, Ms. Le Thi Ha, formerly Deputy Director of the Legal Department at the Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism, was appointed Director of the Vietnam Film Institute. Since then, she has brought dedication and creativity to the role, working closely with the institute’s leadership team to drive continuous growth and development.
Leaving a strong impression at the 3rd Da Nang Asian Film Festival (DANAFF III), Ms. Le Thi Ha expressed her gratitude for the attention, support, and connections facilitated by the festival organization board, the leadership of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, and Ms. Ngo Phuong Lan, Chairwoman of the Vietnam Association of Film Promotion and Development. She emphasized that this support enabled the Vietnam Film Institute to participate in several key programs and contribute meaningfully to the festival’s remarkable success and breakthrough development.
People were genuinely excited about the film festival, especially when they enjoyed free screenings of golden-era classics like Canh Dong Hoang (The Abandoned Field), Ra Nam Vao Bac (From South to North), Dinh Menh (The Fate), Truyen Thuyet Quan Tien (The Legend of Quan Tien), and others, Ms. Le Thi Ha said.
Building on the solid foundation laid by previous generations, the next generation of the Vietnam Film Institute is continuing to strengthen and develop the institute toward sustainable integration and growth. The restoration, preservation, and digitization of films remain a core focus. Each year, more than 11,000 film reels are carefully rewound, cleaned, and chemically treated according to archival standards.
Several historically significant films have been successfully restored, including Ho Chi Minh—Chan Dung Mot Con Nguoi (Ho Chi Minh: Portrait of a Man), Mien Nam Trong Trai Tim Toi (The South in My Heart), Nhung Phut Giay Cuoi Doi Bac (The Last Moments of Uncle Ho), Nguyen Ai Quoc Den Voi Lenin (Nguyen Ai Quoc Comes to Lenin), Nuoc Nguon Pac Bo (Pac Bo: Source of the Revolution), and Chien Thang Dien Bien Phu (The Victory at Dien Bien Phu).
To preserve its collection, extend the lifespan of film materials, and enhance the effectiveness of archival and research activities, the Vietnam Film Institute has implemented a plan for transferring and converting expired films and films lacking copies to new copies on plastic film materials and Betacam digital tapes to 2K and 4K digital files.
To date, the Institute holds 1,500 Vietnamese feature film dossiers, 2,030 documentary film dossiers, 615 animated film dossiers, and hundreds of records related to filmmakers and various cinematic topics. This constitutes a valuable resource for research, reference, curation, and exhibition purposes.
In foreign affairs activities, the Vietnam Film Institute has established strong relationships with numerous film archives around the world. It was also the first film archive in Southeast Asia to successfully host the 60th Congress of the International Federation of Film Archives (FIAF) in 2004. Additionally, the Institute is one of the founding members of the Southeast Asia-Pacific Audiovisual Archives Association (SEAPAVAA), established in 1995, and has successfully hosted four SEAPAVAA conferences in 1998, 2004, 2012, and 2021. These achievements have significantly enhanced the Institute’s reputation and standing both regionally and internationally.
Throughout its 45-year journey of development, the Vietnam Film Institute has been consistently recognized for its outstanding contributions. It has received Emulation Flags and Certificates of Merit from the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism; has been honored as a leading unit in the national cinema sector's emulation movement; and has been nominated for the Government’s Emulation Flag.
Director Le Thi Ha said that these prestigious honors serve as a powerful source of motivation for the Vietnam Film Institute to continue fostering creativity and dedication, aiming to grow into a strong, professional institution worthy of its role as the leading national and regional film archive in Southeast Asia and to gradually reach the level of the world’s most renowned film institutes.
