The event, as part of the 24th Vietnam Film Festival, is organized by the Vietnam Film Institute under the direction of the Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism.
The event was attended by Director of the Vietnam Cinema Department Dang Tran Cuong; Director of the Vietnam Film Institute, Le Thi Ha; Director of the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Culture and Sports Tran The Thuan; Deputy Director of the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Culture and Sports, People’s Artist Nguyen Thi Thanh Thuy; Chairwoman of the Ho Chi Minh City Cinema Association, Duong Cam Thuy.
Speaking at the opening ceremony, Director of the Vietnam Film Institute, Le Thi Ha, said that the exhibition offers a multifaceted perspective of Saigon—Ho Chi Minh City through the eyes of filmmakers and photographers. It traces the city’s history from the era of the two wars for national defense and the liberation of the South, through the country’s reunification, to the contemporary period of renovation, international integration, and development.
A key innovation of the exhibition is the application of modern technology to create a mixed reality (MR) space, complemented by a 360-degree photo booth area. These features are designed to enhance emotional engagement and offer visitors a more interactive and immersive experience.
The organization board hoped that, with its rich content and dynamic displays, the exhibition would captivate a wide audience and resonate widely among the general public as well as domestic and international visitors. It aims to showcase the beauty of Vietnam’s national spirit and people in general, as well as that of Ho Chi Minh City in particular, highlighting their role in the country’s ongoing efforts to protect, build, and advance the nation.
The exhibition showcases over 200 images selected from archival materials and films preserved at the Vietnam Film Institute, as well as from collections contributed by the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Culture and Sports, the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Tourism, the local television station, and the Ho Chi Minh City Cinema Association. The displays highlight film locations, people, daily life, and the city’s journey of renovation, international integration, and development.
The exhibition is structured into three distinct periods, including the Liberation of the South and National Reunification (1945–1975), featuring images extracted from feature films and documentaries depicting the struggle for the liberation of the South and the reunification of the country; the Nation-Building and Reconstruction (1976–1985), showcasing images from films and documentaries reflecting the process of reconstruction and the transformation of Saigon–Ho Chi Minh City following national reunification; and the Renovation, Integration, and Development (1986–2025).
The exhibition will run until November 25.
Before the event, the delegation attending the Vietnam Film Festival 2025, led by Vice Chairwoman of the Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee Tran Thi Dieu Thuy and Co-Chair of the 24th Vietnam Film Festival Steering Committee, paid tribute with a floral offering at the President Ho Chi Minh Statue Park on Nguyen Hue Street.
Starting at 10:30 a.m. on November 21, the organization board of the film festival began distributing free tickets for the festival’s opening night, scheduled for 7:00 p.m. the same day at the Reunification Hall. Hundreds of attendees queued early to secure their seats for the event.
