German movie When will it be again like it never was before will vie for the award at feature-length film category. — Photo HANIFF

HÀ NỘI — Vietnamese movie Ngày Xưa Có Một Chuyện Tình (Once Upon A Love Story) opened the 7th Hà Nội International Film Festival (HANIFF) at the National Cinema Centre on November 7.

Directed by Trịnh Đình Lê Minh, the movie is the only Vietnamese film in the official competing category of the best feature-length film. This category will see nine other entries from Switzerland, India, Russia, Germany, Belgium, Sweden, South Korea, Estonia and Iran.

A five-member panel is chaired by William Preiffer, an American-German producer. He is the executive chairman and co-founder of Globalgate Entertainment and also the CEO and founder of Dragongate Entertainment.

When he was a senior executive at Sony Pictures Asia, he launched 20 television channels and produced thousands of films and TV programmes. There, he also established the local-language film production business, with hits such as The Disney Show.

Other members include Hungarian film critic Terez Vincze, Thai director Chartchai Ketnust, German director Sophie Linnenbaum and Vietnamese actor and film producer Hứa Vĩ Văn.

Hà Nội standard cinemas such as National Cinema Centre, BHD Star Cineplex and CGV Mipec Tower and open-air places in the city are ready to screen movies at the HANIFF, according to Lê Thí Ánh Mai, deputy-director of Hà Nội Culture and Sport Department.

"We also aim to popularise Vietnamese culture's typical characteristics through Hà Nội's tourism spots to international artists during the HANIFF," Mai said.

There are 19 movies competing for the short film award, including 11 entries from Colombia, China, Iran, Serbia, Cambodia, Mexico, the United States, Korea, Japan, Iran, Greece and eight Vietnamese movies.

German Axel Ranisch will chair the jury board for the short films. He is a prolific director, with wins at the Hamburg International Queer Film Festival, was the 2019 Winner Adolf Grimme Award Best Director and took home a prize from the LA Indie Film Fest - 2014 Winner Jury Award.

Korean producer Lee Dong-ha will lead Asian Film Commission Network (AFCNet) jury board with Chinese Taipei director Huang Wen Ying and Vietnamese director and producer Võ Thanh Hòa.

The non-competition categories at the HANIFF include panoramas Presenting Renowned Films of the World, Country in Focus, German Cinema, and Contemporary Vietnamese Films Collection.

Alongside the film festival there will be a project market and seminars on German Cinema and Developing Film Production Exploiting Historical Themes and Adapting Literary Works.

Visitors can also see an exhibition of photos of Việt Nam’s Heritage Sites Recognised by UNESCO – Experience Việt Nam Through Movies, at the cinema centre during the festival.

HANIFF was first held in 2010 as one of the many activities celebrating the 1,000th anniversary of Thăng Long - Hà Nội. Since then, it has been held biennially.

Directors, actors, and producers, including Majid-Reza Mostafavi, Payman Maadi, Marko Raat, Elina Masing, Okada Shiika, Song Joong-ki, and Alexandra Bas, are international guests at the HANIFF this year.

The last festival in 2022 saw 800 international and Vietnamese delegates come in from over 50 countries and territories with the participation of 123 films. Brazilian Paloma won best feature-length film while Vietnamese Páo's Story by Nguyễn Phạm Thành Đạt took the best short film.

The award and closing ceremony will be held on November 11 at 8pm at Hồ Gươm Theatre. - VNS