With a global panel of jurors and local storytelling, DANAFF 2025 strengthens Vietnam's presence on the world film stage.
The summer of 2025 marks the third season since the Da Nang Asian Film Festival (DANAFF) laid its foundation - starting with a dream to build a Vietnamese film festival of regional and international significance.
When identity speaks…
Khuong Ngoc scores big with "Sister-in-law".
The major awards won by both Sister-in-law and Detective Kien at the closing ceremony of DANAFF 2025 carry meaningful messages about identity - a theme the festival aims to preserve, promote, and spread through compelling Vietnamese cinema.
The presence of professional jurors from France, South Korea, Japan, Malaysia, the Philippines, and others served as a powerful opportunity for Vietnam to present its cinematic portraits to the world.
With stories centered around a family death anniversary (Sister-in-law) and a series of mysterious crimes in a Northern village over 100 years ago (Detective Kien), Vietnamese cinema has every right to take pride in its unique cultural signatures. These elements captivated professionals, filmmakers, and audiences at DANAFF 2025, presenting an unmistakable flavor in an age of globalization.
The identity of DANAFF 2025 was also visible in the educational sessions offered to young actors, who found inspiration, practical advice, and motivation from seasoned experts during the “Nurturing Talent” workshops - helping them shape a clearer artistic path.
The introduction of the Film Criticism Award (Asian Cinema Panorama) marked another progressive milestone in acknowledging one of cinema’s crucial perspectives - something unprecedented in Vietnam. Meanwhile, the project market featuring both Asian and Vietnamese films contributed financial and human resources to help budding projects take root.
Focusing specifically on the Vietnamese project market, I firmly believe that in the near future, as waves of young filmmakers return from overseas education to seek domestic opportunities, this platform will become a promising gateway for launching their creative works.
From this space, investors and producers alike will be able to discover new talent for the Vietnamese film industry. This vital bridge will significantly support a market still lacking in fresh faces with potential and in “angel investors” willing to offer opportunities to the next generation of filmmakers.
DANAFF secures its place on the global film festival map
Dinh Ngoc Diep and Victor Vu attend the closing ceremony in traditional attire.
Producer Truong Ngoc Anh stuns in a modern white ao dai on the DANAFF III red carpet.
Dr. Ngo Phuong Lan presents the Best Film award.
The closing ceremony stage was steeped in Vietnamese aesthetics.
Dr. Ngo Phuong Lan, President of the Vietnam Association for the Promotion and Development of Cinema and Director of DANAFF, shared during the festival's opening that, “DANAFF will continue to be held annually until 2031.”
This important announcement brought joy to many in Vietnam's filmmaking community. While DANAFF is on its way to becoming the most prominent and influential film festival in the country, the journey has only just begun with its third edition.
To become a remarkable and unforgettable event for both professionals and audiences, DANAFF must transform itself into an excellent and familiar cinematic experience. With the commitments already made, organizers have every reason to expect that the festival will continue to create strong impacts and lasting impressions as it expands in the years ahead.
The weeklong DANAFF 2025 brought together film lovers from various cultures, generations, genders, and perspectives - all united by one shared heartbeat: the joy of experiencing a cinematic celebration across every corner of a central coastal city.
Whether the films had already premiered elsewhere or made their debut here, DANAFF made them feel respected and embraced.
Each Vietnamese film or film from other Asian countries carried a story worth telling.
Every industry professional or audience member came to DANAFF with the hope of finding more experiences, more emotions, and a deeper understanding of the human love for cinema in this world.
Each of these humble yet heartfelt contributions forms the foundation of DANAFF’s journey - one that is slow, steady, and full of promise.
Vietnamnet.vn
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