A scene from 'Hoa táo nở'. The film is the first Vietnamese-Hungarian co-production and the first to be screened in Hungarian theatres with Vietnamese subtitles. Photos courtesy of National Film Institute Hungary

The first feature film length collaboration between Vietnam and Hungary will hit the big screen today in Budapest.

Hoa Táo nở (Apple Blossom, or Az Almafa Virága in Hungarian) shows the perspective of Vietnamese students and young people from both countries.

The film centres around Song Ha, a young Vietnamese woman who moves to Budapest with a special mission – finding more about her family history. When she looks into past events, she has a romantic connection with Viktor, a Hungarian guy.

According to Káel Csaba, the Government Commissioner responsible for developing the Hungarian national film industry, this is the first collaboration feature film between Việt Nam and Hungary, which will help to improve understanding and bring the two countries' cultures closer together.

Given that it was released on the 50th anniversary of the Paris Peace Accords that ended the war and restored peace in Việt Nam, Káel said the film has special resonance as it takes viewers back to the heyday of relations between the two countries in the 1970s.

He continued by saying that this shows how Việt Nam is depicted in the modern era and how quickly it transforms.

Through the love journeys of the main protagonists, the film shows the history of diplomatic ties between Việt Nam and Hungary.

Nguyễn Thị Bích Thảo, Vietnamese Ambassador to Hungary, praised the film crew's dedication, as well as the active support of relevant agencies in Việt Nam and Hungary such as the Hungarian-Vietnamese Friendship Association, generations of students studying abroad in Hungary, and the Vietnamese community in Hungary, in completing the film Hoa Táo nở.

The Ambassador underlined that Việt Nam and Hungary have a long history of friendship and diversified collaboration, which has been upgraded to a comprehensive partnership in the last five years, with culture ad education being the most important field of cooperation.

Thảo extended her best wishes to the cast, crew, and producers of Hoa Táo nở, saying she hopes the film's release would open the door for future cultural and artistic exchanges and cooperation between the two countries to forge a lasting friendship between their respective populations.

She also said she hoped the film would inspire Hungarians to learn more about and develop an appreciation for Việt Nam, a country that has thrived since the war's end.

As the first Vietnamese-Hungarian co-production and the first Vietnamese-subtitled film to be shown in Hungarian theatres, Hoa Táo nở is a highlight in the growing cultural and artistic cooperation between the two countries in recent years.

Hoa Táo nở will officially premiere today (February 15) at the Urania National Film Theatre. VNS