The YouTube channel Kho phim Viet (Vietnamese film archive) of the Department of Cinema is drawing attention as it continuously uploads a wide range of classic films, documentaries, and contemporary Vietnamese works free of charge. This is seen as a notable step in efforts to bring Vietnam’s cinematic heritage closer to the public in the digital age.
The channel is jointly operated by the Department of Cinema and the state-owned VTC Multimedia Corporation, with scheduled releases at 9:00 a.m. and 19:00 p.m. daily. Guided by the goal of “preserving and spreading cultural and historical values through each frame, while meeting audiences’ demand for a complete artistic experience,” the channel also applies artificial intelligence (AI) technology to support visual creation, while ensuring all content is edited and supervised by humans.
Launched on March 19, 2026, the channel currently has a modest following of just over 2,700 subscribers and features more than 60 videos across various categories such as documentaries and memory archives, state-commissioned films, award-winning works in Vietnamese cinema history, historical documentaries and archival footage, classic Vietnamese films, and animation.
Audiences can easily access once-renowned titles such as Ha Noi 12 ngay dem (12 days and nights of Hanoi air battle), Con chim vanh khuyen (The nightingale), Hai nguoi me (Two mothers), Ha Noi mua dong nam 46 (Hanoi Winter 1946), Vo chong A Phu (A Phu and his wife), Nga ba Dong Loc (Dong Loc Crossroads), Vi tuyen 17 ngay va dem (17 days and nights along the 17th parallel), as well as more recent productions including Mui co chay (The Scent of Burning Grass), Binh minh do (Red Dawn), Song cung lich su (Living with History), Truyen thuyet Quan Tien (Legend of Quan Tien) and Vang trang tho au (Childhood Moon).
The free screening of classic Vietnamese films is clearly a positive move. It also recalls a similar initiative five years ago, when the Vietnam Film Institute piloted the release of nine films on its YouTube channel and received positive feedback, though the effort was later interrupted due to copyright issues.
The emergence of an official and well-organized channel dedicated to distributing historical films with clear direction is an encouraging signal. More importantly, this digital space gives new life to works that were often “archived” or screened only during special commemorative events throughout the year. With easy, continuous, and free access, these classic films can become a living resource, with renewed opportunities to connect with younger audiences who are accustomed to online platforms.
