The first Ho Chi Minh City International Film Festival 2024 (HIFF 2024) brought an excited atmosphere to roads and streets in the city last month. The event was not only eagerly awaited by many filmmakers and actors, but also created an opportunity for the Vietnamese film industry to get closer to the thinking and filmmaking methods of other cultures.

Creating reputation in film makers’ community

The HIFF 2024 was held from April 6-13 with a similar format to other film festivals around the world, attracting a large number of international and domestic filmmakers and guests, as well as Vietnamese actors, actresses, directors and film producers. 

In addition, the festival also included a wide range of activities such as seminars, conferences, content and tech expo, and outdoor movie screenings.

According to HIFF Executive Director Pham Minh Toan, in the first edition of the festival, the organising committee had made great efforts to perfect the organisational procedures and convince many international experts and directors around the world to attend the festival. It was a success for the organiser to have famous domestic and international cinematic experts come to share experience and measures to develop Vietnamese cinema, he said. 

In terms of scale and quantity, Toan said that more than 400 films were sent to the festival, exceeding the expectation of the organising committee. In particular, about 56 film projects participated in the “Project Market” and 87 scripts were submitted to the event named “Vietnamese Script Incubator”. Those figures have far surpassed the anticipation of the organiser, especially when this is the first time the film festival has been held in the city.

According to director Tran Thanh Huy, in recent years, many young Vietnamese filmmakers have won international and leading film festivals such as those in Cannes, Venice, or Berlin. Therefore, the HIFF 2024 was a “golden” time to show international friends how the Vietnamese cinema industry is developing vibrantly. At the same time, the festival also offered a good opportunity for international filmmakers who are interested in the Vietnamese market to learn more about the market. 

People’s Artist Dao Ba Son said that the festival not only marked the start of a breakthrough in Ho Chi Minh City’s cinematic life but also helped the city’s cinema in particular and Vietnamese cinema in general take off and fly high, leaving their imprints in the regional and international filmmaking community.

Focusing on young filmmakers

After the first HIFF 2024, many foreign experts hoped that the festival will continue to be held in the future, and thus creating its own brand to promote the development of Ho Chi Minh City cinema in particular and Vietnamese cinema in general.

Actor, director and producer Kim Dong-ho, founder of the Busan International Film Festival and honorary chairman of the HIFF 2024, said that Ho Chi Minh City cinema in particular and Vietnamese cinema in general has great development potential. However, it’s not simple to develop a brand for the HIFF 2024 because it requires a lot of financial support. 

“If receiving sufficient support, the HIFF brand will be one of the highlights of cultural events and festivals that attract tourists to the city each year, like other brands that have been built successfully in the Republic of Korea, France, or Germany.”

Kim Dong-ho

With more than 30 years of experience, director Kore-eda Hirokazu who contributed many valuable works to Japanese and world cinema hoped that the HIFF will be held in coming years, contributing to the Vietnamese and international film industry.  

Korean director Kim Jee-woon who is well-known for films “A Tale of Two Sisters” and “The Good, the Bad, the Weird” said:

Ho Chi Minh City has a promising environment for cinema development thanks to a contingent of young filmmakers with dynamic energy and diverse creative ideas. If they have a good script or story, Korean partners are always ready to cooperate with them.

According to the Korean director, to create a quality film festival, it is necessary to develop a scheme to select qualified movies. Finding and introducing good movies around the world is a way to promote the event. It is also necessary to have a team of experienced advisors who understand the global cinematic context, film market and film festivals across the world. They will help the event approach the international market through connections within and outside the region.  
Tran The Thuan, Director of Ho Chi Minh City’s Department of Culture and Sports, the success of the first HIFF was attributable to careful, long-term preparation and professional and effective organisation. The event shows the creativity, dynamism, and flexibility in management; and the diverse and effective cooperation between the state and organisations/ individuals who work in the cinema industry./.  VNA