LOCAL TALENT: Female director Anh La is among five talented filmmakers who have been given VNĐ300 million (US$12,790) each from the CJ Short Film Making Project to make their own short films. Photo courtesy of CJ CGV Vietnam

HCM CITY — The 2023 CJ Short Film Making Project has announced five filmmakers who will receive funds to make short films.

They are Huỳnh Công Nhớ with a project named Thằng Bé Bán Kem (A Boy Selling Ice-Cream), Anh La with Vùng Trũng (Low-lying Land), Vũ Hoàng Hiệp and Tuấn Lê with Anh Em Kiếp Này (Brothers for Life), Lý Bá Minh with Tàn Ngày Rực Rỡ (The Remains of the Brilliant Day), and Đoàn Sĩ Nguyên with Rừng Dịu Dàng (Gentle Forest).

The projects’ themes are inspired by real stories about life and family, and love of nature and the country.

These five filmmakers beat out nine other finalists at the presentation and Q&A round held on June 14 to receive VNĐ300 million (US$12,790) each from the contest for filmmaking.

After the Q&A round, they attended a training course with filmmakers from the Korean Academy of Film Arts.

They will also be mentored by five judges, including the country’s leading directors Phan Đăng Di, Nguyễn Hoàng Điệp, Trịnh Đình Lê Minh and Trần Thanh Huy, and film producer Trần Thị Bích Ngọc, to ensure that their films meet qualifications for international film festivals.

In addition, the filmmakers will receive support for equipment and post production by HCM City-based film studios HK Film and DZS Media.

The film production will take place from July 1 to November 8, while the premiere is expected to be held in late November.

The organisers, CJ Cultural Foundation and CJ CGV Vietnam, will offer financing to filmmakers to help them register to participate in top international film festivals such as Cannes, Berlin, Venice, and Busan.

The judges said that the five projects would have the opportunity to go further at top film festivals because all the contestants had a clear vision in directing and careful preparation.

The CJ Short Film Making Project, initiated in 2018, aims to bring works by Vietnamese filmmakers to top international film festivals.

Many productions from the contest have been selected to screen and compete at over 50 international film festivals around the world.

This year, the contest has received around 400 entries of contestants from more than 10 provinces and cities across Việt Nam.

Filmmakers from the US, Germany, Singapore, New Zealand and Canada also sent their projects to the contest.

All the entries feature different genres, and various topics and stories covering various aspects of life and humanity. — VNS