HÀ NỘI — A photo exhibition featuring film locations across Việt Nam will be held from October 21-31 in Hà Nội.

The event will be held by the Việt Nam Cinema Department and the Việt Nam Film Institute as part of the fifth International Film Festival also taking place in the city this month.

More than 40 photos will be displayed at the exhibition, showing scenes and landscapes that have appeared in famous films produced in Việt Nam.

Film fans in Hà Nội and international guests who attend the international film festival will have the chance to admire Việt Nam’s stunning natural scenery, including many famous landscapes recognised by UNESCO as world natural heritage sites and unique cultural spaces around the country.

Such unique natural and cultural spots have often been selected as the filming locations by Vietnamese and foreign filmmakers, including many big-name production firms from Hollywood and across the world.

They include Tràng An and Hạ Long Bay in the northern provinces of Ninh Bình and Quảng Ninh, respectively, Đồng Văn stone plateau in northern province of Hà Giang and Phong Nha – Kẻ Bàng in the central province of Quảng Bình.

The beautiful landscapes have enchanted film audiences and at the same time contributed to promoting Vietnamese tourism to the world.

In the blockbuster Kong: Skull Island, for example, the filmmaker chose Hạ Long Bay – a UNESCO World Natural Heritage site – for some dramatic scenes.

The producer, Alex Garcia, said that it was a great privilege for the crew to shoot among Việt Nam’s beautiful nature.

Previously, Hạ Long Bay also appeared in Hollywood blockbuster Peter Pan and some other films.

Organisers expect the exhibition, revealing the film locations through photos, will help boost national tourism and culture and bring the image of the country to the world.

More than 500 movies from nearly 50 countries and territories will be screened during the fifth Hà Nội International Film Festival, announced Deputy Minister of Culture, Sports, and Tourism Vương Duy Biên.

Themed ‘Cinema: Integration and Sustainable Development’, the festival is slated for October 27-31. It looks to honour outstanding cinematographic works with high artistic and humanitarian values and creativity, while also encouraging new movie talents.

It also hopes to expand the Vietnamese cinema market, thus promoting the country’s image to international friends.

Films for the competition are selected from many countries and territories around the world, some of which have never competed in international film festivals in Asia. — VNS