HCM CITY — Four young Vietnamese directors have won top prizes at the CJ Short Film Project, one of the top short film contests in Việt Nam.

The winning films includes Một Khu Đất Tốt (Good Land) by Phạm Ngọc Lân, Hãy Thức Tỉnh và Sẵn Sàng (Wake Up and Ready) by Phạm Thiên Ân, Ngọt, Mặn (Sweet, Savoury) by Dương Diệu Linh, and Balô Hồng (Pink Backpack) by Chu Ánh Nguyệt.

Một Khu Đất Tốt by Lân includes two stories occurring at the same location 10 years apart.

It is about a mother and son who are looking for their husband and father at a cemetery. Ten years later, the land has been turned to a golf club where a talk between a rich man and his secret mistress occurs.

Lân, 32, was nominated in the shorts category with his film Another City at the 66th Berlinale International Film Festival in 2016.

His short films, including The Story of Ones and Culi Never Cries, have been screened at short film festivals in Switzerland, Denmark, Japan and South Korea.

Ân’s Hãy Thức Tỉnh và Sẵn Sàng features a motorcycle accident in front of a street pub. The incident unveils a secret story involving three young men.

Ân, 29, won a number of film awards in Việt Nam, including the 48 Hours Film Project in HCM City in 2014, before moving to the US in 2015.

His latest short film, The Mute, was screened as a World Premiere at Palm Springs International Shortfest in the US.

Linh and Nguyệt, who are emerging female directors in local film industry, focus on  women’s journey in seeking gender equality in today’s society.

All four winners received a cash prize of VNĐ200 million (US$8,590) each, and will have a chance to send their works to international film festivals.

Phan Đăng Di, a member of the jury consisting of the country’s leading directors and producers Hồng Ánh, Trịnh Đình Lê Minh, Nguyễn Hoàng Điệp and Leon Lê, said: “We had young excellent directors at the contest, who have shown their films at international film festivals.”

“We believe their films shown at this contest will continue to gain more achievements at film festivals around the world,” he added.

The 2018 CJ Short Film Project, organised by CJ Cultural Foundation and CGV Vietnam, began in June and attracted 252 entries.

During the contest, film talents and specialists from South Korea offered instructional workshops. — VNS