The fifth Hanoi International Film Festival (HANIFF) closed at the Cultural Friendship Palace on October 31 night with an award-presenting ceremony. 

The best feature film award of this year’s event went to “The Dark Room” by Rouhollah Hejazi from Iran, while the best short film award was given to “Su” (Water) by Aizhana Kassymbek from Kazakhstan. 

Nguyen Le Hoang Viet of Vietnam was announced the best young short-film director for the film “Ban cung phong” (Roommate), and Poland’s Piotr Domalewski, Director of “Silent night,” the best feature film director. 

The judge’s award was presented to “Hai dua tre” (Two kids) by Ta Quynh Tu of Vietnam. 

The Network for Promotion and Asian Cinema (NETPAC) award was handed to “Student A” by Lee Kyung-sub from the Republic of Korea. 

Christian Bables of the Philippines was named the best actor for his performance in the film of “Signal rock.” While Vietnamese Phuong Anh Dao was the best actress for her role in the film of Nham mat thay mua he (Summer In Closed Eyes).

Speaking at the award-presenting ceremony, Ngo Phuong Lan, head of the Department of Cinematography and the organising board, said the festival has connected Vietnam’s cinema industry and others from the world. 

This year’s festival featured 147 outstanding films from nearly 50 countries and territories, including more than 40 films of Vietnam. Many of them have never been screened at other Asian film festivals.

With 204 outdoor and indoor screenings, the festival offered a “cinema fest” to tens of thousands of audiences.

Other activities included a project market, a script-writing camp, and an exhibition on filming locations in Vietnam. -VNA