Vietnam international film festival (VIFF) will be held for the first time in Hanoi from October 17 to 21. All works for the largest national event have been already completed, said Mr. Lai Van Sinh, Head of the Vietnam Film Department under the Ministry of Culture, Sports & Tourism.
12 documentries and 10 featured films from China, Japan, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, the Philipines, Hong Kong (China), Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam will compete for categories including Best Film, Best Short Film, Best Documentary, Best Director, Best Actress, Best Actor, a prize of the Network of the Promotion of Asian Cinema (Netpac), and the Media Award.
The films produced in 2009 or 2010 that have not been screened abroad before or not been screened in Asia before October 21 can enter. Entries must have not been screened on TV or internet.
Other films from 25 countries throughout the world will be presented in the World Cinema program.
Good local movies which have been produced in recent years will be screened in the “Vietnamese Cinema Today” section.
The Country in Focus section which showcases pictures from a chosen country every year will introduce five latest films of the French movie industry.
During the five-day event, there will be seminars on Vietnam’s film industry, a photo exhibition of international film festivals and a display honoring People’s Artist and director Hong Sen, one of the great names of the Vietnamese movie industry.
The judging panel will include director Phillip Noyce, Venice International Film Festival director Marco Mueller, French cameramen Francois Cantonne and Matthieu Poirot - Del Pech, Korean actress Kang Soo Youn, NETPAC President Aruna Vasudev and others. Among them are Vietnamese directors including feature film director Dang Nhat Minh, documentary film director Bui Dinh Hac and film critic Ngo Phuong Lan.
The film fest is a good chance to cultural exchanges and cooperation between local and international filmmakers.
The opening and closing ceremonies of the event will take place at the National Convention Center in Hanoi and broadcast live on VTV3.
