HÀ NỘI — The screening of A Wedding at the National Cinema Centre kicked off the European Film Festival (EFF) 2018 in Hà Nội on Thursday.

The EFF will be taking place in Hà Nội, Huế, HCM City and for the first time in Đà Lạt from November 16 to 29. The festival, featuring 13 films, starts a journey to explore the rich and creative cinema heritage of Europe — the birthplace of cinematography.

"We are proud to share with Vietnamese friends our precious heritage: cinematography," said head of the EU delegation to Việt Nam, Ambassador Bruno Angelet. "This year’s main theme is "family", which is core to our lives and societies. We shed a light on European people, culture and lifestyle as a cultural bridge to bring us closer to the people of Việt Nam."

A Wedding by director Stephan Streke is about Zahira, an eighteen-year-old from Belgium, who is very close to each member of her family until the day she is forced into a traditional marriage. Spread between the demands of her parents, her Western lifestyle and her aspirations for freedom, the girl relies on the help of her big brother and confidant, Amir.

The movie received a Cesar nomination for best foreign film this year. It won best film and best director at the Magritte Award 2018 presented by the Academie Andre Delvaux, a professional organisation dedicated to the promotion and development of Belgian cinema.

The movie also grabbed best actor and best actress awards at the Angoulême Festival of the Francophone Film 2016 and International Journalism and Audiences’ Choice Awards at MyFrench Film Festival 2018.

The movie will be screened in Huế on November 22, in HCM City on November 28 and in Đà Lạt on November 21. It will not be suitable for audiences under 18 years old.

Launched in Việt Nam in 2000, this annual cultural event is jointly organised by the Delegation of the European Union to Việt Nam, embassies of EU member states and European cultural institutes.

"We wanted to expand the EFF to Đà Lạt," said Nguyễn Ánh from the organisingn board. "The EU delegation to Việt Nam has yet to run any programmes in the Central Highlands, so we expect the EFF to be received warmly by audiences there."

The selected films mainly focus on the theme of family. Through a collection of drama, comedy, adventure and children’s movies, the festival showcases different aspects and stories of the family lives of European people.

Most of the movies have won awards at prestigious international film festivals. This is an unique opportunity for Vietnamese audiences to enjoy highly-acclaimed European movies that are not shown in Việt Nam cinemas.

The awarding-winning movies to be screened at the festival are Hungarian Kincsem (Hungarian Wonder); German Summer Houses - A Little Paradise, Isn’t it?; Holland Tuintje in Mijin Hart; Czech House and Swedish Across The Waters.

All the movies have Vietnamese subtitles. For more information please visit Facebook/Liên hoan phim Châu Âu 2018 - European Film Festival 2018. — VNS