VietNamNet Bridge - The Hunt – an internationally acclaimed movie from Denmark - will be the first to be screened during the 18th European Film Festival in Vietnam. 

A scene from the movie.

The festival, featuring 15 contemporary films drawn from 15 countries of the European Union, will open in Ho Chi Minh City on 13 May and in Hanoi on 15 May 2017. 

Wishing to reach out to a wider range of audiences in Vietnam, this year, for the first time ever, the Festival is also organized in the central city of Hue from 14 to 25 May.

Since its first introduction to the public (2012), The Hunt had won 35 international awards and was nominated for the 2014 Oscar Academy Awards as “Best Foreign Language Film of the Year”.

The movie is about 40-year-old Lucas, who, following a tough divorce, has a new girlfriend, a new job and is in the process of re-establishing his relationship with his teenage son, Marcus. But things go awry after a passing remark, a random lie. 

And as the snow falls and the Christmas lights are lit, the lie spreads like an invisible virus. The shock and mistrust get out of hand, and the small community suddenly finds itself in a state of collective hysteria, while Lucas fights for his life and dignity.

The film will be screened twice in both Hanoi (National Cinema Centre, 87 Lang Ha Street, May 15 and May 24) and Ho Chi Minh City (CineStar Cinema, 271 Nguyen Trai Street, District 1, May 17 and May 20).

As a new feature, the EU film festival 2017 focuses on the theme “tolerance and respect”. It is a collection of passion, joy, fear and frustration, loneliness and sorrow, misunderstanding, surprise, tolerance and compassion, respect and love. 

Most of the films within this year’s festival have previously been screened at several international festivals and have won highly acclaimed awards all over the world.

Founded in 2000, the European Film Festival has become a prominent and anticipated cultural event Vietnam. 

It has established itself as a credible avenue to bring new and captivating aspects of European culture to the attraction of Vietnamese people, by showcasing films that would otherwise not be shown in Vietnamese commercial cinemas.

PV