Director Bùi Thạc Chuyên (second left) reveives award as Best Director at the 23rd Việt Nam National Film Festival. — VNA/VNS Photo Nguyễn Dũng

Director Bùi Thạc Chuyên and the crew of Tro Tàn Rực Rỡ (Glorious Ashes) have won various awards at the 23rd Việt Nam National Film Festival which took place last in Đà Lạt City, the Central Highlands province of Lâm Đồng.

The film was honoured at the closing ceremony held on Saturday night in Đà Lạt for winning this year's Golden Lotus Awards in the categories of Feature Film, Music, Cinematography and Director.

Actor Lê Công Hoàng who plays character Dương in the film has also won the Supporting Actor Award.

This is also a Vietnamese film selected for the 2024 Oscar competition.

Last year, the film won the top award at the Festival des 3 Continents 2022 in Nantes, France. Based on a novel by popular writer Nguyễn Ngọc Tư, the film unveils relationships between three women and their partners in a southern seaside village.

Prior to Tro Tàn Rực Rỡ, Chuyên created many successful films with rave reviews such as Sống Trong Sợ Hãi (Living in Fear), Chơi Vơi (Adrift) and Lời Nguyền Huyết Ngải (Blood Curse).

His documentary about ordinary people during the COVID-19 pandemic, entitled Không Sợ Hãi (No Fear), won the Silver Kite Award in the Documentary Category of Việt Nam's Golden Kite Awards 2021.

Tro Tàn Rực Rỡ was among 16 motion pictures competing for Golden Lotus Awards at the 23rd Việt Nam National Film Festival. The movies are made by both State-owned and private studios, and include international award winners and the current highest grossing movies.

Đất Rừng phương Nam (Song of the South), one of the most invested films, was a strong contender for the award but did not win any category at the festival.

The film directed by Quang Dũng with a budget of VNĐ40 billion, received mixed praise and criticism and earned a budget of nearly VNĐ150 billion.

This is the first year Đà Lạt hosts the national film festival. The event coincided with the city’s 130th anniversary. Đà Lạt has also just joined UNESCO's network of creative cities in terms of music.

According to Vi Kiến Thành, director of the Cinema Department and head of the film festival organising board, this year the event attracted more than 5,000 viewers watching live, and 500,000 watching on digital platforms.

Speaking at the awarding ceremony on Saturday, the director revealed the festival had drawn the participation of 177 films, the highest number. Feature films had improved artistic and professional skills, while cartoons, documentaries and scientific films all have reached high quality standards. — VNS