Vietnamese-Czech director Dianna Cam Van Nguyen will present her film project In Between Worlds, a hybrid of 2D animation and live-action, at DANAFF III. Photo Girls In Film

HÀ NỘI —  A total of 14 standout film projects have been chosen to compete for the Best Project Award as part of DANAFF Talents, a key programme of the upcoming 3rd Đà Nẵng Asian Film Festival (DANAFF III).

The category includes both the Art-house Film Projects and the Genre Film Projects for Vietnamese filmmakers only.

The Asian Art Film Project features promising works from outstanding young filmmakers in the Asia-Pacific region.

In Between Worlds by Vietnamese-Czech director Dianna Cam Van Nguyen combines 2D animation with live-action filmmaking, exploring cultural conflict, identity and the tension between tradition and modernity.

This project is being developed through the Cannes Film Festival Résidence programme and has received support from the Czech Film Fund, Slovak Audiovisual Fund and Creative Europe MEDIA.

The Young Theorist Club by Đàm Quang Trung is the only Vietnamese film project in the Art-house Film Projects category. Previously, his film Những con voi bên vệ đường (The Elephants by the Roadside) won Best Director and Best Cinematography at the 2024 Singapore International Film Festival.

The Young Theorist Club by Đàm Quang Trung is the only Vietnamese film project in the Art-house Film Projects category. Photo Phan Thao Nguyen, Tropical Siesta

Another Story About Love and Hope by Chinese director Yanqi Chen, a Gen Z filmmaker who previously won the Grand Prix at the Fribourg International Film Festival 2024 for his film Day Tripper, which also screened at major international festivals such as Warsaw, Moscow and Pingyao, is among the selected projects at DANAFF.

Also featured is No Money No Honey by Taiwanese director Etsen Chen, a project that previously won the Taiwan National Scriptwriting Award granted by Taiwan's Ministry of Culture.

Other notable entries include Midnight Inn by Wang Chun Hong, The Balloon by Bangladeshi filmmaker Noor Imran Mithu and Ghost of the Currents by Thai director Patiparn Boontarig, co-directed by Kalil Pitsuwan.

Ghost of the Currents was selected and funded by the newly established Thailand Creative Culture Agency, created to promote Thailand's creative industry. This project is also one of three Thai films presented at the Thai Pitch event during Cannes 2025.

The Vietnamese Genre Film Project category features promising filmmakers with projects including Flying Cows by Nguyễn Phạm Thành Đạt, A Little Dream of Me by Chung Chí Công, The Best Damn Things by Quản Phương Thanh, Broken Being: Refuse to Awake by Hải Quang Đăng, The Girl Remains Home Alone by Hoàng Quốc Nhật, Trapped in Hell by Hùng Trần and The Offering by Trịnh Quang Minh. 

DANAFF Talents, which evolved from the 'Talents Incubator' training workshops held during the past two editions of the festival, officially launches this year with a new Project Incubator in collaboration with the Autumn Meeting programme.

"The goal of DANAFF Talents is to discover, nurture, and provide opportunities for emerging film talents in Asia and Việt Nam to bring their 'on-paper films' to life, while supporting their journey toward professional filmmaking," said a representative of the organiser.

Producer Trần Thị Bích Ngọc announced the list of 14 film projects at The Việt Nam Cine Cocktail @ Cannes 2025. Photo courtesy of VFDA

Producer Trần Thị Bích Ngọc added: "Young filmmakers will participate in training and workshops led by international and Vietnamese film experts." 

The Best Project Award in the Art-house Film Projects category includes a cash prize of €8,000 (US$9,000), granted by Cinémas du Monde, a financial support fund managed by France’s National Centre for Cinema and the Moving Image under the French Ministry of Culture. 

Additionally, the Mentorship Award is offered by mylab, a training and project development initiative launched in Malaysia in collaboration with various Asian film organisations and festivals. This award includes a three-month development programme for one selected project.

The third Đà Nẵng Asian Film Festival (DANAFF III), themed 'Bridging Asia', will be held from June 29 to July 5, 2025. 

The festival features two main competition categories, The Best Asia Film and The Best Vietnamese Film, along with a special programme spotlighting Việt Nam war-themed films in commemoration of the 50th anniversary of national reunification, and a country-in-focus programme highlighting Korean cinema. — VNS