Vietnam International Film Festival (VIFF)

Overview

The Vietnam International Film Festival (VIFF) is Vietnam's most important international film festival. Founded in 2010 and held biennially across Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) and Hanoi, the festival presents Vietnamese and international cinema and serves as the primary platform for the country's growing film industry.

Vietnam's film industry has experienced significant growth in the 2010s and 2020s, with Vietnamese commercial films achieving record domestic box office results and Vietnamese independent films competing at international festivals. VIFF provides the primary domestic showcase for both sides of this developing industry.

The biennial format and dual-city model reflect the geographic division between Vietnam's two major cities and the administrative complexity of a country that approaches cinema as a cultural policy matter.

Key Sections

• International Competition -- films from around the world competing for prizes
• Vietnamese Film Competition -- new Vietnamese features
• ASEAN Film Showcase -- films from Southeast Asian nations
• Documentary Program -- nonfiction features
• Short Films -- Vietnamese and international shorts

What Filmmakers Should Know

VIFF accepts submissions in its biennial years. For Vietnamese filmmakers, the festival is the most important domestic platform. For Southeast Asian filmmakers, the ASEAN showcase provides regional exposure in one of the region's fastest-growing markets.

Major Awards

• Golden Lotus Award -- Best Film in the International Competition
• Best Vietnamese Film
• Best ASEAN Film
• Audience Award

Festival History

VIFF was founded in 2010 under the auspices of Vietnam's Ministry of Culture and has operated biennially since then, providing an international platform for Vietnamese cinema as the country's film industry has grown in confidence and ambition.

See Also

For Southeast Asian cinema, see International Film Markets. For festival strategy, see Film Festival Strategy.