At the closing ceremony of the 3rd Danang Asian Film Festival (DANAFF III) held on July 5 at the Ariyana Convention Center, Vietnamese and Asian films and artists were honored across several major award categories.

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Tuan Tran receives the Best Actor award.

On stage, Tuan Tran expressed surprise and joy after being named Best Actor in the Vietnamese competition category: “I’m very surprised and happy to receive this meaningful award. Seeing names like Huynh Lap and Quoc Huy in the nominations, I know I still have a lot to learn. This honor belongs not only to me but to the entire team behind Làm giàu với ma (Getting Rich with Ghosts). Thank you to the jury and DANAFF III. I wish the festival continued growth and success.”

The NETPAC (Network for the Promotion of Asian Cinema) award for Best Vietnamese Film went to Chị Dâu.

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Khuong Ngoc receives the Best Vietnamese Film award for Chị Dâu.

Vietnamese Competition Winners:

Best Screenplay: Chị Dâu
Best Actress: Viet Huong (Chị Dâu)
Best Actor: Tuan Tran (Làm giàu với ma)
Best Director: Victor Vu (Thám tử Kiên - Detective Kien)
Jury’s Special Prize: Trạng Quỳnh nhí: Truyền thuyết Kim Ngưu (Little Scholar Quynh: The Legend of Kim Nguu)
Best Vietnamese Film: Chị Dâu

The new “Asian Cinema Panorama” program featured standout works either successful at international film festivals or making their world debut at DANAFF. The top film criticism award was presented to Sunday.

The Audience Choice Award for Most Loved Vietnamese Film went to Dế Mèn: Cuộc phiêu lưu tới xóm lầy lội.

Asian Competition Winners:

Best Screenplay: Ladan Shirmard, Ebrahim Azizi (Muddy Foot, Iran)
Best Actress: Nurzhan Beksultanova (Abel, Kazakhstan)
Best Actor: Kang-sheng Lee (Stranger Eyes, Singapore - Taiwan)
Best Director: Guan Hu (Black Dog, China)
Jury’s Special Prize: Mưa trên cánh bướm by Duong Dieu Linh
Best Asian Film: Deal at the Border - Kyrgyzstan
Although Viet Huong was unable to attend, Tuan Tran was present to receive his award.

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Director Duong Dieu Linh receives the Jury’s Special Prize.

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Opening performance - the theme song from Dế Mèn (Cricket the Warrior: The Adventure to the Muddy Hamlet), performed by Miss Bui Xuan Hanh.

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Dr. Ngo Phuong Lan

Accepting her award, Duong Dieu Linh recalled: “Ten years ago, when I first returned to Vietnam and came to Danang for the Autumn Meeting program, I was just a young girl making short films. I never imagined I’d one day stand on a stage receiving such a big award. I dedicate this to my cast, crew, and all the mentors who helped me along the way.”

This year, DANAFF expanded in scale and duration, running for seven days from June 29 to July 5, with nearly 200 screenings across Da Nang. Programs included “Half a Century of Vietnamese War Films,” “Korean Cinema Focus,” and “Panorama of Asian & Vietnamese Cinema,” alongside lively artist-audience interactions, celebrating cultural exchange under the festival’s theme: “The Bridge of Asia.”

Speaking at the event, Dr. Ngo Phuong Lan, Director of DANAFF III, stated: “The 2025 Danang Asian Film Festival succeeded in two missions – honoring the cinematic heritage and discovering young talent.”

My Anh