By Châu La Việt

Đà Nẵng City in the final days of June was more vibrant than usual with fireworks lighting up the night sky and, particularly, the Third Đà Nẵng Asian Film Festival (DANAFF III), which provided a captivating cinematic experience for tourists from across the nation throughout the entire week.

“DANAFF III is a testament to the city’s commitment to becoming a new centre for cultural creativity and film industry in Việt Nam and the region,” said Lê Trung Chinh, chairman of the Đà Nẵng People’s Committee [Administration].

“Đà Nẵng recognises that cinema is not just an art form, but also a driving force for economic development, a means to promote the city’s image and a bridge connecting people, nurturing and spreading the values of truth, goodness and beauty,” he said.

Audrey Azoulay, UNESCO director-general, highlighted the significance of the third edition of DANAFF, showcasing the international community’s recognition of cinema in Việt Nam and across the broader region – from China to Kyrgyzstan, Japan, India, and South Korea.

She said that Việt Nam, and Đà Nẵng in particular, was becoming a vibrant convergence point for innovative ideas and creativity.

Here, culture begets culture, and youthful innovation harmonises with the timeless craftsmanship and knowledge passed down through generations, a testament to the global recognition of Vietnamese cinema.

“A new wave of Việt Nam in cinema is emerging, destined to leave a powerful mark. The international community is embracing this fresh wave of Vietnamese talent,” said Azoulay.

South Korean actress and director Moon So Ri speaks at DANAFF III. VNA/VNS Photo Trần Lê Lâm

According to Ngô Phương Lan, chairwoman of the Việt Nam Film Promotion Association and director of DANAFF, this year’s festival has accomplished significant achievements.

“First and foremost, it honours and promotes the invaluable heritage of cinema through two key programmes – ‘Half a Century of Vietnamese War Films since National Reunification’ and ‘Focus on [South] Korean Cinema’,” Lan said.

DANAFF III featured 11 films enjoying their international premieres. Among the 14 Asian films in competition, four are global premieres.

“This is a number we dreamed of just two years ago, and now it has come to fruition,” she said.

The event also organised DANAFF Talents with a series of activities – the third season of the Talent Incubator workshop, a project incubation space including a project market for Asian art films and a project market for Vietnamese genre films.

The project incubation space, Lan said, marked a strategic development step, reflecting DANAFF’s vision to nurture promising talents, encourage creative storytelling and build sustainable connections between young filmmakers and the international film community.

“I, along with many journalists, artists, producers and renowned filmmakers from South Korea, attended nearly all the film screenings, audience interactions and experience-sharing sessions at the festival,” Lan said.

“These events showcased the finest artistic expressions, allowing everyone to gain additional knowledge and deepen their emotions. Particularly, we had the opportunity to enjoy the rich offerings of South Korean cinema, Vietnamese cinema and films from many other countries.”

Lead actors Khả Ngân and Shantanu Maheshwari walked the red carpet, welcomed by fans at the premiere of ‘Love in Vietnam’. VNA/VNS Photo Trần Lê Lâm

There were highlight programmes such as the Panorama of Asian Cinema, Half a Century of Vietnamese War Films and workshops like The Impact of Vietnamese War Films Since National Reunification and South Korean Cinema: Lessons in International Success and Film Industry Development.

Additionally, the programme Vietnamese Cinema Today showcased 18 new Vietnamese films along with Focus on South Korean Cinema that featured outstanding films from South Korea.

“I’m known for being emotional at every festival, attending almost all film events; however, I have never seen a festival as grand as this one,” said celebrated actor Tất Bình, former director of Film Studio I.

“During the artists and audience meeting gala, I heard about the deep affection they have for films, from students, teachers and veterans, regarding the content of the movies, and the days when artists worked in complex conditions to create their works.”

An artists and audience meeting gala at the film festival. Photo courtesy of DANAFF III

The emotions of filmmakers, even after so many years, remain incredibly strong, just as the public’s love for cinema and war films is profound.

DANAFF this year impressed with a record number of films during its one-week run from June 29 to July 5, featuring over 100 films in the Asian Film Competition, Vietnamese Film Competition, Panorama of Asian Cinema, and Focus on Korean Cinema. This is the highest number of films screened in the last three editions of the festival.

Alongside the Vietnamese stars, there were also dazzling international film stars including South Korean actors Moon So Ri and Park Sungwoong, Philippine television star Richard R. Faulkerson Jr, Indian heartthrob Shantanu Maheshwari, and South Korean group Idol Nation.

Posters of the films competing at DANAFF III are erected along the Hàn River in Đà Nẵng City. Photo tapchidongnama.vn

All of them walked the vibrant red carpet of the festival, as the ground that night sparkled with fireworks, reminiscent of the brilliant displays lighting up the skies of Đà Nẵng during the firework festival.

The coastal city has truly become a new cinematic rendezvous in Asia. VNS