Vietnamese movie wins prize at Oxford int’l short film festival

The country’s leading filmmakers Nguyen Hoang Diep, Hong Anh, Phan Dang Di, Trinh Dinh Le Minh and Leon Le (from second left to right) are judges for the contest “CJ Short Film Making Project” 2019. Photo courtesy of CGV Vietnam

Vietnamese residents aged 18-40 are encouraged to send their entries to the contest “CJ Short Film Making Project” 2019 by May 18 at http://duanphimngancj.cgv.vn.
Eligible entries include a short film made in the last three years, an outline for new film project and a detailed plan for filmmaking.
The judges, consisting of the country’s leading filmmakers Phan Dang Di, Hong Anh, Nguyen Hoang Diep, Leon Le and Trinh Dinh Le Minh, will choose the best five projects to receive funding.
Each contestant will receive VND300 million (US$12,920) for filmmaking, which will take place from June 24 to November 24.
They will be also mentored by judges during the filmmaking process to ensure that their films meet qualifications for competing in international film festivals.
Director Di, head of the judging board, said: “The project aims to bring Vietnamese films to top international film festivals.”
The two winners, to be announced in January, will receive a scholarship for a filmmaking course with Vietnamese-born French director Tran Anh Hung as part of the Autumn Meeting event, an annual international cinema programme providing opportunities for young filmmakers in the region.
Hung was an Oscar nominee and Cannes Camera d’Or winner in 1993 for the Scent of Green Papaya. He directed the 2010 adaptation of Haruki Murakami’s hit novel Norwegian Wood and Eternity (2016).
Last year, the first season of the contest received more than 250 entries. It saw winning films Một Khu Đất Tốt (Blessed Land) by Pham Ngoc Lan, Hãy Thức Tỉnh và Sẵn Sàng (Wake Up and Ready) by Pham Thien An, Ngọt, Mặn (Sweet, Savoury) by Duong Dieu Linh, and Balô Hồng (Pink Backpack) by Chu Anh Nguyet.
The 19-minute black-and-white film Một Khu Đất Tốt was nominated in the Berlinale Shorts category at the 69th Berlin International Film Festival in February.
Lan and other films will be screened for the public at CGV Art House after the works compete at international festivals.

VNS