Da Nang Asian Film Festival: Building a cultural bridge for Vietnam–France relations
WVR - The 3rd Da Nang Asian Film Festival (DANAFF III) serves as a testament to the expanding cultural cooperation between Vietnam and France, especially when both countries have upgraded their ties to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in October 2024.
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| French Ambassador to Vietnam Olivier Brochet speaks at the DANAFF Talents & Closing ceremony. (Photo: Dieu Linh) |
Partnering for progress
At the closing ceremony of the DANAFF Talents program—part of DANAFF III—French Ambassador to Vietnam Olivier Brochet, representing the Cinéma du Monde fund, presented the €8,000 Arthouse Project Award to the Thai project Ghost of the Currents, directed by Itt Patiparn Boontarig and co-directed by Kalil Pitsuwan.
The award is funded by the Cinéma du Monde (World Cinema Fund)—an initiative of the French National Centre for Cinema (CNC) and the French Institute—aimed at supporting independent cinema industries worldwide.
France’s presence at DANAFF goes beyond a single award. It includes a range of technical support activities, professional networking, and capacity-building, deepening the ties between the two countries’ film sectors. In particular, the investment in nurturing a new generation of creatives—from screenwriters to directors—demonstrates a long-term vision to lay a strong foundation for future Vietnamese cinema to reach global audiences.
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| French Ambassador to Vietnam Olivier Brochet presented the award for an outstanding youth film project at DANAFF Talents 2025 on behalf of the Cinéma du Monde fund. (Photo: Dieu Linh) |
In an interview with The World and Vietnam Report, Ambassador Olivier Brochet emphasized: “France is committed to accompanying Vietnam in strengthening its cinema, film creation activities, and the entire film industry.”
More broadly, the Cinéma du Monde program reflects France’s global cultural strategy—partnering with nations that share values of creative freedom and cultural identity preservation. According to Ambassador Brochet, cinema is a global industry that should not be dominated solely by economic or commercial factors.
In that spirit, France consistently upholds the 2005 UNESCO Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions—a commitment Vietnam has also joined. The ambassador stressed that both countries share the goal of fostering a free and culturally distinct creative landscape that transcends national borders.
Bright prospects for Vietnamese Cinema
When asked about the quality of film projects from young filmmakers at DANAFF III, Ambassador Brochet expressed his admiration for the scale and professionalism of the festival in its third edition. In addition to direct cooperation with the organizers, the French side is proactively helping Vietnamese filmmakers gain access to international platforms.
According to the Ambassador, France has support mechanisms for Vietnamese filmmakers to attend events such as the Cannes Film Festival, and for animation directors, the Annecy International Animation Film Festival.
“This year, we are very pleased that Vietnam had booths at both Cannes and Annecy, starting to showcase its own works. This is a very important factor in our cooperation, and we are always here for Vietnam to encourage this direction,” he emphasized.
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| A scene from the film Underground Tunnel: Sun in the Darkness by Director Bui Thac Chuyen (Photo: Linh Chi). |
Regarding film quality, the Ambassador shared that although he did not have the opportunity to watch all the works at DANAFF III, he acknowledged the vibrancy of Vietnam’s creative scene and the strong local appetite for domestically produced films. He mentioned having seen Underground Tunnel: Sun in the Darkness—a movie which is not part of the festival lineup—but praised it highly. “If all Vietnamese films reached such cinematic quality, Vietnamese cinema would have a very bright future,” he said.
The Ambassador also expressed confidence that with Vietnam’s rich cultural, historical background and a strong presence of young talent, the country has the potential to develop a globally recognized cinema industry.
Cultural cooperation under the vision of a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership
Assessing DANAFF’s role, Ambassador Brochet emphasized: “To secure a place on the international stage, Vietnam needs not only to make good films but also to know how to welcome the world—especially the cinematic world.”
He expressed his admiration for the rapid and professional development of the Da Nang Film Festival, calling DANAFF a unique and engaging event with increasingly high-quality organization.
“I am confident that the quality of the festival will continue to grow rapidly. Even this year, the organization has already been remarkable. I expect more and more directors will bring their films to showcase here and gain recognition in this excellent festival,” he noted.
According to the Ambassador, DANAFF’s rapid development is a positive sign, reflecting Vietnam’s efforts to build an open cultural foundation capable of deep and wide-reaching connections with the region and the world. It also creates opportunities for Vietnamese films to enter international markets more methodically and professionally.
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| Ambassador Olivier Brochet presented the Best Actress Award in the Vietnamese Competition section for the film Sister-in-Law. As actress Viet Huong was absent, Director Khuong Ngoc received the award on her behalf. (Photo: Minh Nguyet) |
Beyond cinema, the French Embassy in Vietnam is also promoting other cultural cooperation programs.
A notable upcoming event is Photo Hanoi—a biennial photography festival scheduled for November 2025. Originating from the collaborative relationship between the two nations, the festival aspires to make Hanoi a leading centre for photography in Asia and globally.
“We are delighted to share our experience in this field,” the Ambassador said.
Ambassador Olivier Brochet also noted that Vietnam–France bilateral relations are currently experiencing a positive phase, as demonstrated through recent high-level diplomatic exchanges. Highlights include the official visit to France by General Secretary and President To Lam (October 2024), the State visit to Vietnam by French President Emmanuel Macron and the First Lady (May 2025), as well as Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and his spouse’s official trip to Nice and Paris (June 2025).
The Ambassador emphasized that these visits reflect a deep, trusted, and expanding partnership. Both countries are committed to strengthening future cooperation—not only to safeguard national sovereignty but also to make meaningful contributions to global strategic balance.
The official upgrade of Vietnam–France relations to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership not only paves the way for deeper collaboration in politics, economics, and defense, but also provides a solid foundation for enhancing cultural exchange—especially in cinema.
In this context, DANAFF is gradually becoming an effective bridge connecting artists, filmmakers, and cultural institutions from both countries. Specific cooperation activities—from supporting young filmmakers and accompanying training initiatives to boosting the international visibility of Vietnamese cinema—are increasingly highlighting cinema’s role in bilateral cultural relations.
Not just an art form, cinema is now being recognized by both nations as a medium for dialogue and a tool for long-term cultural collaboration.
