Audiences in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City will be treated to a selection of films showcasing the diversity and vitality of the Francophonie worldwide, as the 14th Francophone Film Festival takes place this March.
The 14th Francophone Film Festival of Vietnam will be held from March 22 to 27 in Hanoi (National Documentary and Scientific Film Studio, Hoang Hoa Tham Street) and Ho Chi Minh City (DCINE Ben Thanh, Mac Dinh Chi Street). Admission is free.
The festival is co-sponsored by the International Organization of La Francophonie’s Asia-Pacific Regional Office, the embassies of Canada, France, Switzerland, and the Walloon-Brussels General Delegation in Vietnam.
A scene from the film Glorious Ashes. Photo courtesy of the director |
The highlight of the festival is Glorious Ashes (Vietnam) by Vietnamese director Bui Thac Chuyen. The story revolves around three women living in the same small village in the Mekong region.
The film emerged victorious from a field of 27 other film projects from around the globe, winning the US$15,000 prize in the Asian Project Market category at the 2017 Busan Awards. It also received SG$250,000 from the Singapore Film Commission’s Inaugural Southeast Asia Co-Production Grant and support from Singaporean producer Jeremy Chua. In 2022, the film was awarded the Montgolfière d’or, or the Golden Hot Air Balloon Award, at the Nantes Festival of Three Continents.
The film also garnered Best Feature Film and Best Director for Bui Thac Chuyen at the Golden
Vietnamese film premieres at Tokyo International Film Festival
“Tro Tàn Rực Rỡ” (Glorious Ashes) of Vietnam made an impressive debut at the opening ceremony the Tokyo International Film Festival (TIFF) in Japan on October 24, receiving positive feedback from the audience.