The lineup includes 11 films from the UK, Finland, Austria, Italy, and elsewhere, 9 produced by the National Documentary and Scientific Film Studio, and 5 by independent Vietnamese filmmakers. Some of the films have won international awards.
All screenings are free at Vietnam’s National Documentary and Scientific Film Studio at 465 Hoang Hoa Tham Street in Hanoi and DCine Ben Thanh at 6 Mac Dinh Chi Street in Ho Chi Minh City.
The European films explore contemporary issues and personal stories. "Sara with all her being" of Sweden tells the story of writer Sara Lidman, whose work and outspoken views helped raise public awareness in Sweden about the Vietnam war.
Belgium’s The Anchor takes audiences inside an emergency support center for women, highlighting the importance of solidarity and timely assistance in difficult moments. Meanwhile, French director Jean-Jacques Annaud’s Notre-Dame on Fire recounts the devastating fire at Paris’s Notre-Dame Cathedral on April 15, 2019. The film won the 2023 César Award for Best Visual Effects.
The Vietnamese documentaries introduce audiences to inspiring figures, places, and social issues. Professor Hoang Xuan Sinh portrays Vietnam’s first female mathematics professor, while Keeping the Green tells the story of the revival of HCM City’s Can Gio mangrove forest, Vietnam’s first UNESCO-recognized biosphere reserve.
Meritorious Artist Trinh Quang Tung, Deputy Director General of the National Documentary and Scientific Film Studio, said: “The selected films are of very high artistic quality and feature contemporary life, particularly stories about women and children. Vietnamese filmmakers have learned from exchanges with their colleagues from around the world at the European-Vietnamese Documentary Film Festival. After each edition, they have moved closer to international filmmaking styles, particularly in their storytelling.”
The 16th European-Vietnamese Documentary Film Festival aims to promote cultural and cinematic exchanges between Vietnam and European countries and provide a platform for Vietnamese and foreign filmmakers to meet, trade experience, and explore new approaches to documentary filmmaking.
