Vice Chairwoman of the municipal People’s Committee Nguyễn Thị Anh Thi speaks at the press conference. — Photo nhandan.vn

HÀ NỘI — Under the theme “Bridging Asia to the World”, the 2026 Đà Nẵng Asian Film Festival (DANAFF) will seek to expand international opportunities for Vietnamese cinema and emerging filmmaking talent.

The event, the only international-standard annual film festival held in Vietnam since 2023, will run for seven days from June 28 to July 4, featuring an expanded programme with a stronger emphasis on professional development, training, networking and industry growth.

This year's Script Lab – an advanced screenwriting course will begin earlier, on June 26, selecting eight feature-film projects for intensive development under the guidance of international experts.

The opening and closing ceremonies will be broadcast live on Vietnam Television and other live-streaming platforms.

According to Vice Chairwoman of the municipal People’s Committee Nguyễn Thị Anh Thi, preparations are progressing on schedule. She said the city is serving as the coordinating body, ensuring consistency across programme development, logistics, security, external relations, communications and promotion.

Đà Nẵng has placed particular emphasis on inter-agency coordination and international engagement to ensure the event is organised professionally and in line with international standards for major cultural and film events.

Through this coordinated effort, Đà Nẵng aims to establish DANAFF not only as an annual film event but also as a distinctive cultural landmark, helping position the city as a reputable destination for regional film and cultural events and enhancing its international profile, the official said.

Trương Thị Hồng Hạnh, Director of the municipal Department of Culture, Sports, and Tourism, said promotional activities for the festival had already been carried out in key international markets, including Japan, the US and France, shortly after the previous edition concluded.

She added that the festival is also being incorporated into tourism packages and travel itineraries, helping attract investment and support the long-term development of Đà Nẵng’s cultural and film industries.

Deputy Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Tạ Quang Đông noted that after only four editions, DANAFF has established a distinctive identity and attracted growing interest from artists, filmmakers and film organisations both at home and abroad.

He described the festival as an important platform for showcasing high-quality cinematic works, encouraging creative exchanges and strengthening international cooperation in filmmaking.

Dong also emphasised that cinema has been identified as one of Việt Nam’s key cultural industries, with the potential to generate both economic value and national soft power.

This year’s festival will screen 102 films across approximately 200 screenings at cinemas throughout Đà Nẵng. Audiences will also have opportunities to meet actors, directors and film crews during selected screenings.

The Asian competition section will feature 13 films from various countries and territories, including one Vietnamese entry and another co-produced by Vietnam and the US.

The festival will continue its popular outdoor screening programme, presenting five films, including Vietnamese feature films, French animated films and a selection of Vietnamese animated works.

Alongside screenings and audience interactions, DANAFF 2026 will host three industry-focused seminars on topics including the evolution of Vietnamese cinema during the đổi mới (Renewal) era; artificial intelligence, digital technology and intellectual property protection in film; and successful models from the US film industry and lessons for Việt Nam.

The festival’s project incubator programme will support young filmmakers through training, networking and project development. This year, 18 projects have been selected across two categories: Asian Art-house Projects and Vietnamese Genre Film Projects. — VNA/VNS