HCMC wants to build a 300ha film studio and expectations for cinema

The international consultation seminar on Ho Chi Minh City's application to join the UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN) in the film industry raised many issues and the city's expectations for a future development of Vietnamese cinema.

Ho Chi Minh City will become a place to connect Vietnamese cinema with the international community

At the seminar, Mr. Pham Binh An, Deputy Director of the Ho Chi Minh City Institute for Development Studies, the agency coordinating the consultation on the development of the dossier, said that the draft dossier to register to participate in the Ho Chi Minh CityCCN focuses on 6 initiatives.

Of which, 3 initiatives at the local level include: Creating cinema in schools; the project "Color of life through cinema"; building a film support center.

At the international level, the city's proposed initiatives include: Organizing a network forum of Asian film cities; Organizing an annual international film festival; forming a unit to support film development.

A representative of the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Ho Chi Minh City shared: "When becoming the first creative city in cinema in Vietnam and Southeast Asia, Ho Chi Minh City will become a place to connect Vietnamese cinema with the international community, effectively contributing and being responsible for the overall development of regional cinema".

Joining UCCN is expected to open up many opportunities, such as: Increasing the value of contributions from cultural and creative industries to the local economy; creating jobs, revenue, enhancing the competitiveness of the city..., Dr. Nguyen Phuong Hoa, Director of the Department of International Cooperation (Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism) shared.

Vice Chairwoman of Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee Tran Thi Dieu Thuy affirmed that in the process of developing the cultural industry, the city always pays special attention to developing the film industry, a field with a long history and strong appeal, the concentration of diverse and rich resources, investment attraction in content creation, and effective methods of operation.

At the seminar, delegates also contributed many opinions related to the development of the current film industry in Ho Chi Minh City, such as: Improving human resource training; building international standard film studios; support and attraction policies for international filmmakers...

HCMC wants to build a 300ha film studio

Deputy Director of the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Ho Chi Minh City Nguyen Thi Thanh Thuy confirmed that the city will build a creative park along the banks of the Saigon River, invest in film studios, post-production centers, and establish an online film distribution platform.

The city also hopes to have many mechanisms and policies to support artists, solve administrative procedures, provide one-stop public services, and connect with agencies and departments to make film crews more convenient.

"The movie Geography: Sun in the dark directed by Bui Thac Chuyen was filmed on a 50-hectare Cu Chi studio. We hope to have a film studio that meets international standards of at least 150 hectares. Ho Chi Minh City is proposing to implement a film set at the Ethnic Culture and History Park in Thu Duc City with an area of over 300 hectares to develop cinema", Ms. Nguyen Thi Thanh Thuy added.

According to Chairman of the Vietnam Film Association Do Lenh Hung Tu, Ho Chi Minh City needs to have a film museum, character making workshop, film costume, and establish an international film training academy; need to send excellent students to the US and other countries to learn...