At a press conference held on April 19 in Hanoi, the organisers said there would be 12 films from the Republic of Korea, Iran, Japan, the Philippines, Indonesia, India, New Zealand, France, Germany, Belgium, and Vietnam which will compete in the Asian film category.

“Những đứa trẻ trong sương” (Children of the Mist) directed by Ha Le Diem and “Tro Tàn Rực Rỡ” (Glorious Ashes) by Bui Thac Chuyen will compete in the Asian competition.

In 2022, the film “Tro Tàn Rực Rỡ” (Glorious Ashes) won the Montgolfière d’or, or the Golden Hot Air Balloon award, at the Nantes Festival of Three Continents.

Elsewhere, young local director Ha Le Diem was honoured in the Best Directing category at the 2021 International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam for her film “Những Đứa Trẻ Trong Sương” (Children of the Mist).

Furthermore, eight local movies including “Nhà bà Nữ” (The house of no man), “Em và Trịnh” (You and Trinh), "Maika - Cô bé đến từ hành tinh khác" (Maika-The girl from another galaxy), and “Đêm Tối Rực Rỡ!” (The Brilliant Darkness!) will compete in the Vietnamese film category.

In addition, the organisers have selected 16 Vietnamese films produced between 2020 and 2022 and four Japanese films for screenings at Le Do theatre in Da Nang.

Moon So-ri, an actress, film director, and screenwriter from the Republic of Korea, will work as head of the judging panel in the Asian film category.

The other members of the team will include director and screenwriter Adilkhan Yerzhanov of Kazakhstan, Stephen P.Jenner, regional director and head of communications for Asia-Pacific of the Motion Picture Association of America, Vietnamese people’s artist Nhu Quynh, and director Phan Dang Di.

Moreover, Vietnamese director, screenwriter, producer Victor Vu will lead the judging panel in the Vietnamese film category.

Thai director, screenwriter, and producer Aditya Assarat, producer Yulia Evina Bhara of Indonesia, people’s artist Lan Huong, and screenwriter Tran Khanh Hoang will also judge the competition.

The awards for DANAFF 2023 will also be presented during the closing ceremony held on May 13.

During the course of five-day festival in May, workshops will be held aimed at introducing the cinema industry of both Vietnam and Japan, as well as tours specifically for foreign participants to sightseeing spots throughout Da Nang.

The festival will be jointly organised by the Vietnam Association of Film Promotion and Development (VFDA), the Da Nang municipal People’s Committee, and the Network for the Promotion of Asia Pacific Cinema (NETPAC).

It aims to honour excellent Vietnamese and Asian cinematographic works which boast high artistic value and are rich in both humanity and creativity, as well as encouraging new Vietnamese and Asian talents in the film-making industry.

Source: VOV