A beautiful impression of the Vietnamese Film Week in France
WVR - On the evening of December 12 at the Pathé Palace cinema, the closing ceremony of the Vietnamese Film Week – Light Journey took place in a solemn, warm, and emotional atmosphere. The event concluded after a vibrant week, gathering numerous artists, filmmakers, partners in Europe, and thousands of international audiences.
Latest
The week was co-organized by the Vietnam Film Development Association (VFDA) and the Association of Vietnamese Scientists and Experts Global (AVSE Global) under the patronage of the Vietnamese Embassy in France.
 |
| Delegates attending the closing ceremony. (Source: Organizing Committee) |
The ceremony was attended by many distinguished guests: Ms. Pham Thi Kim Yen, Counselor of the Vietnamese Embassy in France; Prof. Nguyen Duc Khuong, Executive Director of EMLV School (France), President of AVSE Global; Ms. Laure Cazeneuve – Director of the Jury and External Relations of the Cannes Film Festival.
The event also featured the presence of many renowned artists and directors from Vietnam and France; representatives of the film Mua Do (Red Rain) including director Dang Thai Huyen, actors Do Nhat Hoang, Lê Ha Anh...
The screening of Mua Do concluded the Vietnamese Film Week in Paris with a special mark as the work, which once set box office records in Vietnam, was introduced to a wide European audience.
The film demonstrates a clear transformation of Vietnamese cinema in modern storytelling, rich emotional imagery, and international integration capability.
The warm reception and lively discussions following the screening show that Vietnamese cinema can indeed tell its own stories while touching the hearts of international audiences, affirming a new position for Vietnamese cinema on its journey to the world.
Sharing at the screening, Director Dang Thai Huyen, representing the film crew of Mua Do, emotionally stated: “What is portrayed in the film about the 81 days and nights of Quang Trị Citadel is just a very small part compared to the harsh reality of the war.
We are proud to have completed and brought the film a long way. But above all, we would like to thank the audience, for the applause, the tears, the empathy, and encouragement from audiences, from Vietnam to Paris today.”
 |
| Director Dang Thai Huyen (second from left) with actors from the film "Mua Do" attending the event. (Source: Organizing Committee) |
Additionally, Ms. Ache Ahmat Moustapha, a sociologist and director, shared after watching the film: “What impressed me strongly at first was the artistic value of the film. But above all, it was the message of peace at the end – peace formed after all the suffering.
The film shows that despite countless losses, there were people who sat down at the negotiation table, through the Geneva and Paris Agreements, to bring peace back. I was also particularly moved by the courage of the Vietnamese army. The message conveyed by the film is truly powerful.”
Mr. Ta My Giang, a veteran who fought in Quang Tri during 1972–1975, also attended the Mua Do screening in Paris.
His wife, Mrs. Kim Chi, shared: “We are very fortunate to attend the Vietnamese Film Week in Paris this time, and to watch the film that evokes memories he once experienced in the Quảng Trị battle.
Just watching a few short scenes, he went home that evening and recounted the war memories and cried. Every time he tells the story, he cries, because he always remembers his comrades, those who stayed in Quảng Trị and never returned. Sometimes, he can only visit to light incense for them.”
From an academic perspective, Mr. Alain-Cyril Barioz, a Professor of History-Geography in Paris, commented: “The film concludes with a highly symbolic final scene, where the girl's scarf is torn between two officers, forming the letter 'S', the shape of Vietnam.”
The Vietnamese Film Week in France attracted over 6,000 attendees from France and nearly 20 countries, showcasing 17 notable works of Vietnamese cinema from classics to contemporary, from commercial films to art and documentary films, many of which have won awards at various international festivals.
More than 100 famous actors and directors from France and Vietnam gathered during this special week. Notably, the event was supported by over 200 volunteers from around the world, reflecting the spirit of unity and pride of the Vietnamese intellectual community and expatriates in Europe.
Speaking at the closing ceremony, Ms. Pham Thi Kim Yen, Counselor of the Vietnamese Embassy in France, emphasized: “This week is not just a film screening program, but a journey inviting audiences to explore and rediscover the landscapes, people, dreams, and challenges of Vietnam through the lens of filmmakers. Each film, each discussion, and each artist encounter is an occasion to honor the creativity, resilience, and soul of Vietnam.”
Representing the organizers, Prof. Nguyen Duc Khuong affirmed that the event is evidence of the potential for sustainable cooperation between Vietnam and Europe in the field of cinema, while also opening up many development opportunities for young Vietnamese talents on the international stage.
With in-depth meetings and warm reception from the international public, this is considered a memorable milestone for Vietnamese cinema on the world map.
 |
| A large number of international audiences and expatriates in France attended the closing ceremony. (Source: Organizing Committee) |
The event not only honours art but also sets a long-term direction in: Promoting the image of Vietnam and its people through the spread of cinema; enhancing cooperation between Vietnam and Europe in the arts-cinema field; supporting and developing young talents, while promoting international production and training activities; bringing Vietnamese films to the global market, affirming a new position for Vietnamese cinema in the global cinematic flow.
The Vietnamese Film Week – Light Journey also opens up the possibility of continuing to bring this model to many other countries, laying the groundwork for Vietnamese cinema to expand its presence on the international cinema map.
