Five young filmmakers receive funding from the CJ Short Film Project to make their short films. — Photo courtesy of CJ CGV Vietnam

HCM CITY — Five young filmmakers have received VNĐ300 million (US$11,500) each in funding from the CJ Short Film Project to make their short films.

They include Đặng Thảo Nguyên with a project named Cơn Bão Đêm Qua (Last Night’s Storm), Châu Thuý An with Showgirl, Nguyễn Vũ Hiền Chi with Một Ngày (A Day), Trần Hữu Thành with Dưới Bóng Thanh Trà (Under the Mango Plum Tree), and Lâm Công Thịnh with Cơn Mưa Hè Bên Dưới Làn Da (Summer Rain beneath the Skin).

During the filmmaking process, the five filmmakers will participate in a training course on production planning, screenplay writing, directing and film editing with experts from the Korean Film Council and the Korean Academy of Film Arts from August 18-22.

The film production will run from August 23 to November 16.  

The winners defeated eight other filmmakers in the presentation and Q&A round, with the jury consisting of leading Vietnamese directors Phan Đăng Di, Charlie Nguyễn, Trịnh Đình Lê Minh and Trần Thanh Huy, and film producer Trần Thị Bích Ngọc, as well as guest judge – producer and actress Kaity Nguyễn.

The judges said: "The directors of this year’s competition are gradually finding their own cinematic language. Their screenplays reflect their way of observing life, their emotional world and their desire to tell stories through images.

“We hope these ideas will develop into distinctive films, bearing the personal imprints of young Vietnamese filmmakers and creating their mark at international film festivals.”

Đặng Thảo Nguyên, one of five directors, presents her project named Cơn Bão Đêm Qua (Last Night’s Storm). — Photo courtesy of CJ CGV Vietnam

Each director will have the opportunity to be mentored by a judge and receive technical and post-production support from HK Film.

Director Phạm Ngọc Lân, the winner of the contest’s first season, will also offer support and mentorship to all the directors during the process.

Lân, who won Best Film of the International Competition Fiction & Documentary at the 16th VIS Vienna Shorts Festival in Austria in 2023 for his short film Một Khu Đất Tốt (Blessed Land), will also help them with dossiers for submitting films to international film festivals.

The winning productions are expected to premiere in December.

The CJ Short Film Project was initiated by the CJ Cultural Foundation and CJ CGV Vietnam in 2018 to nurture emerging filmmakers and showcase their works at top international film festivals.

Through five seasons, the contest has supported the production of 30 short films by 32 young Vietnamese directors. Many works have been selected for and recognised at more than 60 international film festivals, bringing Vietnamese cinema closer to audiences worldwide.

This year’s contest, with the theme Thắp Sáng Ước Mơ – Định Hình Kiệt Tác (Igniting Dreams – Shaping Masterpieces), received more than 400 entries. — OVN/VNS