Members of the first Đà Nẵng Short Film contest -- Wow Đà Nẵng -- at the launch ceremony in Đà Nẵng City. Film directors and teams will flock to Đà Nẵng for the contest between January to April. VNS Photo Lê Lâm

ĐÀ NẴNG — The central city has launched the first Film Fest – Wow Đà Nẵng – a short film competition featuring the tourism hub, marking the very first cultural activities of a hopeful year.

The contest, which was organised by the city’s Culture and Sports department and YouthLife joint-stock company, will be receiving entries nationwide until April 15.

Director of the city’s Culture and Sports department, Phạm Tấn Xừ, the event organiser, said the contest would ignite a series of cultural and tourism activities in 2022 as Đà Nẵng sets hope on economic recovery after a two-year deadlock due to COVID-19.

“The competition, which will be debuted for the first time in Đà Nẵng, will feature Đà Nẵng as a favourite destination and a rendezvous of international friends in a connection site of world heritages in central Việt Nam,” Xừ said.

“It will mark the first cinema industry action in 2022, with an aim of promoting culture, tourism and communications of Đà Nẵng – a sustainable and digital transforming urban area in central Việt Nam."

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He said the event would also be a rendezvous for artists and directors exchanging experience and opportunities in boosting Đà Nẵng’s beauty, land and people, as well as building links in culture, tourism and cinema.  

The event’s organising committee said the best of 25 short films would be selected for the final round and screening in the streets of Đà Nẵng.

A special prize – the Hàn River Award – will be given to the winner on April 29 with a cash prize of VNĐ100 million (US$4,300). Three Golden Prizes of VNĐ30 million each will be presented at the award ceremony.  

The organisers will also reserve five digital awards for the largest number of hits on websites such as YouTube, Fanpage and TikTok during the contest, while finalist teams will be given vouchers for staying in Đà Nẵng as well as flight tickets.

Details of the event can be found online at the festival website.

Six years ago, Đà Nẵng was chosen as a host of the annual cinema festival – Autumn Meeting – a rendezvous for Vietnamese and international filmmakers as well as providing training courses on acting, film direction and producing low-budget films. — VNS