Da Nang is Viet Nam’s second city after the capital Ha Noi selected to host an international film festival called the Da Nang Asian Film Festival (DANAFF). In particular, DANAFF promises to be very exciting event with best films, contributing to promoting Da Nang’s tourism, as well as promoting the beauty of the city’s culture and its people.

Le Do Cinema is among the venues to screen films during the Da Nang Asian Film Festival. Photo: THIEN DUYEN

The festival, co-organised by the Vietnam Film Development Association (VFDA), the Da Nang People's Committee and other foreign partners, promises to be a celebration of the finest in Asian and Vietnamese cinema. The event is also expected to contribute to promoting the development of the film industry of Da Nang, and Viet Nam as a whole, in addition to meeting cultural needs of local residents and outpacing the city’s tourism growth.

Among the foreign partners participating in the organization of DANAFF is the Network for the Promotion of Asian Cinema (NETPAC) which is a worldwide non-profit organization set up with the aim to promote a greater understanding and appreciation of Asian films and filmmakers.

DANAFF will take place in Da Nang from May 9 to 13 at different locations to showcase best domestic and international films.

According to the organisers, the event aims to encourage the new Vietnamese and Asian cinema talents, as well as introduce to the public the new, high-value works in content and art of Asian and Vietnamese films along with selected films of world cinema. It is expected to be held annually in the following years.

In its implementation, DANAFF will have two main programs, namely film screening and non-film screening programs. The film screenings at the festival will screen best films from Viet Nam and other Asian countries, which will be divided into two categories: competition and non-competition.

For the competition category, DANAFF will have two awards: the Asian and Vietnamese Film Awards. Accordingly, a combined total of 12 to 15 international fillms will hit theaters and compete for the Asian Film Award while 12 to 15 domestic others will be screened to compete for the Vietnamese Film Award.

Film showings for the non-competition category will include the films about Vietnamese cinema, and the others by famous partners and guests of world cinema, especially Japanese cinema.

The non-film screening program will consist of a symposium themed "Creating a favourable environment for filmmaking in Da Nang" and Talent Incubator program with film industry professionals for young aspiring producers and artists. In particular, an acting class for beginners will be taught by South Korean actress Lydia Park to help trainees improve their skills in one of the specific elements of acting, like improvisation, script analysis, or audition skills while advanced acting class will be taught by Japanese Director Tsuyoshi Sugiyama with a focus on helping actors achieve more believable performances.

Both Ms. Lydia Park and Mr. Tsuyoshi Sugiyama have many years of experience in teaching and creating art in both their countries and Viet Nam. Ms. Lydia Park is a familiar face in the Autumn Meeting which is an international cinema event to provide opportunities for young filmmakers to improve their skills and develop their projects.  Innitated in 2013 by Vietnamese director Phan Dang Di and his partner, film producer Tran Thi Bich Ngoc, the Autumn Meeting has provided opportunities for many film projects and young directors at international festivals.

Meanwhile, Mr. Tsuyoshi Sugiyama has 6 years of experience in the Vietnamese theater, including 4 years of experience as an art advisor and stage director at the Viet Nam Youth Theatre between 2016 and 2020. It is expected that enrollment to acting classes will open to aspiring young actors from Ha Noi, Ho Chi Minh City and Da Nang in March 2023.

The acting classes will bring in film industry professionals with experience in the film industry. Therefore, the non-film screening programs are designed to serve as a space for Vietnamese film makers to exchange knowledge with experts to develop their film projects.

As the economic and cultural center of the Central and Central Highlands regions, film activities in Da Nang are still less vibrant compared to Ha Noi and Ho Chi Minh City. Therefore, DANAFF is anticipated to be a forum for Asian film industry players, especially in Da Nang, and Viet Nam at large, to develop in terms of skills, and network. Furthermore, it can be a trigger for the film industry in Da Nang to grow so that the quality of the film industry in the city improves significantly in a bid to soon catch up with the overall development of the country's film industry.

According to Mr. Tra Xuan Phuong, the Chairman of the Da Nang Cinema Association, DANAFF will be attended by Asian and international movie stars, famous Vietnamese filmmakers and artists, international and domestic VIP guests and young filmmakers whose works are featured. He also remarked that Da Nang is warming up for DANAFF which is a long- awaited event for local filmmakers.

“The festival is also expected to contribute to promoting the city's image to international visitors, and promoting the city’s tourism, as well as attracting international artists and directors. Da Nang has created a strong team of professional documentary filmmakers with such well-known names in the country’s documentary film as Huynh Van Hung, Doan Huy Giao, Ho Trung Tu, Truong Vu Quynh, Tra Xuan Phuong, followed by younger generation, including Doan Hong Le, Duong Mong Thu, Hong Quang Nam, Dang Quoc Phon, and Pham Hong Lien. Hence, in the future, I hope Da Nang will host international documentary film festival or Asian Film Festival which will add the documentary category in its new edition, thereby promoting the city’s strengths and driving the development of the city's cinema," added Mr Phuong.

According to the Da Nang Department of Culture and Sports, during the DANAFF 2023, prizes will be awarded for the best Asian and Vietnamese films, along with the best domestic and international director and artists. As for the international film catergory, a cash prize of USD 5,000 will be awarded for the best film while the jury will also grant a special prize of USD 3,000 to the film which it considers worthy of receiving the award. In addition, best international screenwriter and actor winners will receive a cash prize of USD 2,000. As for the Vietnamese film catergory, a cash prize of VND 70 million will be given to the best film while the special jury prize winner will receive a cash prize of VND 40 million. Furthermore, there will be a cash prize of VND 20 million for the best domestic director, artists and screenwriter winners.

Mr Pham Tan Xu, the Director of the Da Nang Department of Culture and Sports said that DANAFF is an international cinema event, and it is also expected to offer great opportunities for Da Nang cinema to promote its international integration and cooperation, thereby contributing to promoting the city's image to domestic and international visitors, with a focus on the potential Asian market.

Reporting by THIEN DUYEN – Translating by H.L