A scene of the short film titled ‘A Taste Like Nothing’ by young Vietnamese director Phan Bảo Tuấn. The film has been selected to screen at the Fascinasian Film Festival 2026 in Edmonton, Canada on May 12-16. Photo courtesy of Phan Bảo Tuấn

ĐÀ NẴNG – A short film titled A Taste Like Nothing by young Vietnamese director Phan Bảo Tuấn is set to whet international appetites after being selected to screen at the Fascinasian Film Festival 2026 in Edmonton, Canada from May 12 to 16.

Tuấn confirmed to the Việt Nam News that his film, which won the Best Short Film Award at the Shinshu Suwa Film Festival in Nagano, Japan last year, has been listed in the official screening programme and will be shown at Landmark Cinemas around 12pm local time on May 13.

He said he received an invitation from the festival organising committee, but he would be unable to attend.

It is the only Vietnamese film among a selection of 20 films across different categories, including features and shorts, in the Edmonton Festival Programmes.

The 30-minute film, shot in Việt Nam and Japan with main actress Akari Nakatani, was awarded in recognition of its exceptional creativity, artistic achievement and contribution to regional and cultural storytelling.

It is Tuấn’s first film, and the first international prize for the young director, who is a graduate student at the University of Theatre and Cinema of HCM City.

Young Vietnamese director Phan Bảo Tuấn shares a photo with main actress Akari Nakatani (first right), and Usuda Reiko, a Japanese expatriate living in Hội An ancient town in Việt Nam, in a trip to Japan. The film will be screened at the Fascinasian Film Festival 2026 in Edmonton, Canada on May 12-16. Photo courtesy of Phan Bảo Tuấn

Tuấn said the film’s main scenes were shot in the former south-central coastal province of Ninh Thuận, now merged with Khánh Hoà Province, and in Yokosuka, Kanagawa, Japan, with all equipment and personnel for the production funded by HK Film.

Usuda Reiko, a Japanese expatriate living in Hội An ancient town and a volunteer with the Japan-Việt Nam Friendship Association in Kawasaki City, also appeared in the film. — VNS