ĐÀ NẴNG — The film Sài Gòn, Anh Yêu Em (Sài Gòn, I Love You), which won the Golden Kite award for the best feature film earlier this year, will be screened at the opening ceremony of the 20th Vietnamese Film Festival in the central city on November 24th. At the same time, the ASEAN Film Awards will be held for the first time.

The festival organising committee said the Golden Kite winner is one of 61 films spanning the genres of feature, documentary, scientific and animated to be screened at the week-long festival at cinemas in Đà Nẵng and on an outdoor stage. The festival will also include seminars and exchanges among students, film directors, actors and actresses.

Sài Gòn, Anh Yêu Em, which was directed by Lý Minh Thắng and previously honored by the Việt Nam Cinematography Association, be among 16 feature films competing at the 20th festival. The film Dạ Cổ Hoài Lang (Night Drumbeats Cause Longing for Absent Husband), a production about traditional Vietnamese culture by director Nguyễn Quang Dũng, has been chosen as the old Vietnamese film to join the ASEAN Film Awards.

Vice minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism, Vương Duy Biên said Việt Nam has the honor of hosting the ASEAN Film Awards for the first time.

He said the awards, which will be organised by the ministry and the ASEAN Film Foundation, will draw candidates from the region competing for the top prize of US$3,000.

Biên said each country will select one film to compete at the ASEAN Awards. The organising committee will also present prizes for the best director, best actor and best actress.

The three members of the ASEAN Awards jury are Jonathan Hyong-joon Kim, a film director from Korea; Roger Garcia, director of the International Film Festival Hong Kong and Polish director Karolina Bielawska.

The organising committee will introduce 17 films that won the top prize at previous festivals during the week-long event.

ASEAN films including Adrift, Birdshot, Angel of Eden, Descendant and Yellow Bird  will be screened to the public at Co-op Mart at 478 Điện Biên Phủ street.

Some 32 scientific and documentary films will be staged at CGV cinema at VinCom trading centre on Ngô Quyền Street.

Lê Độ Cinama at 46 Trần Phú will introduce 16 feature films and 18 animated films including 12 Chòm Sao: Vẽ Đường Cho Yêu Chạy (12 Zodiac: Five Steps of Love), Đảo Của Dân Ngụ Cư (The Way Station), Cô Hầu Gái (The House Maid), Vệ Sĩ Sài Gòn (Sài Gòn Bodyguard) and Cô Ba Sài Gòn (The Tailor) from 10am to 4pm from November 24-28th. — VNS