On the morning of September 8, at the Central Documentary and Science Film Studio (Hanoi), the press conference to announce the 15th European - Vietnam Documentary Film Festival officially took place.
The event was organized by the Union of European Cultural Institutes (EUNIC) in collaboration with the Central Academy of Documentary and Science Film Festival, with the support of many domestic and foreign partners.
At the meeting, the organizing committee introduced the highlights of this year's holiday season, and affirmed that the event is not only an opportunity for Vietnamese audiences to access unique documentary works, but also a cultural bridge between Vietnam and Europe.
This year's festival brings together 18 works, including 7 films from countries and territories: Austria, Italy, Spain, Sweden, the UK, Israel and Wallonie-Bruxelles (belgium), in addition to films from host country Vietnam.
Notably, 7 works produced by the Central Documentary and Science Film Studio and 4 films by independent authors will bring a rich and new look to the festival season.
Many films have been honored at international festivals, promising to bring the public emotional experiences and evoke multi-dimensional perspectives on society, people and culture.
Among the 7 films introduced by the Central Documentary and Science Film Studio, many works exploit familiar stories that touch the hearts of audiences such as "Journey of Love", "U.SOM Contractor of the Year", "The Will of the Champion", "The spearhead - the Monument of the Vietnamese", "The Wood - the miracle of the People's Heart"..., clearly demonstrating the spirit of community solidarity, affirming the strength of national strength.
Notably, the film "U.SOM Contractor of the Year" tells the story of Armed Forces Hero Tran Van Lai - a villa soldier on the battlefield, operating in the hearts of the enemy under the name of "U.SOM Contractor of the Independence Dynasty" introduced at this year's film festival.
Director, Meritorious Artist Trinh Quang Tung said that the character Tran Van Lai is the prototype of the character Tu Chung in the famous film "Saigon Border". Making a film about a character that is very familiar to the public is a big challenge, because the audience already has the image of Tu Chung on screen.
However, the production crew chose to exploit new perspectives, based on many little-known documents and everyday stories, to better depict the person Tran Van Lai behind the anecdotes.
A new highlight of this year's festival season is the 4 works of independent directors, bringing a youthful breath and variety in their expressions, including "brilliant Sky Hands", "The Wind of the Season Comes", "Toan O" and "The Letter to Me".
In addition to domestic works, audiences also have the opportunity to enjoy international documentaries with diverse themes and styles, including "Ongry Fings", "La Roja - Journey to the King of the World", "The Great Museum", "Stain Flowing in the Bloodline", "Refinery: Fano Dys legumes Festival"...
These films not only bring viewers closer to the social and cultural life of each country, but also affirm the power of documentary cinema in creating dialogue, connecting communities and promoting mutual understanding.
The film screenings will take place at 7pm every day, from September 12 to 18 at the Central Documentary and Science Film Studio (465 Hoang Hoa Tham, Hanoi) and DCine Ben Thanh Theater (6 Mac Dinh Chi, Ho Chi Minh City).
In particular, on September 14, a thematic screening program for independent filmmakers will be held throughout the day from 9am to 5pm.
All entrance tickets are free, opening up opportunities for a large audience to access documentaries that rarely appear on the big screen.
After 15 seasons of organization, the European - Vietnam Documentary Film Festival has become a familiar cultural meeting place, where filmmakers and audiences meet, share and look back at the world through a realistic lens. Not only stopping at introducing documentary cinema, the event also contributes to promoting exchanges, enhancing understanding and cohesion between Vietnam and European countries.
