Overview
The Hanoi International Film Festival (HANIFF) is Vietnam's first and longest-running international film festival. Founded in 2010 as the Vietnam International Film Festival (VNIFF), the festival was renamed Hanoi International Film Festival starting with the 2nd edition in 2012. HANIFF is organized by the Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism through the Vietnam Cinema Department, and is held biennially in Hanoi, typically in October or November.
The 8th edition (HANIFF VIII) is scheduled for November 24 to 28, 2026. This edition will debut a film market, creating an annual film trading platform and supporting the professional development of Vietnam's film industry ecosystem. The 5-day festival will feature opening and closing ceremonies, competition and non-competition screenings, seminars, a gala dinner, and side events including the HANIFF Campus for young creators, a film project market, press screenings, mobile film screenings, and exhibitions.
As of early 2026, HANIFF VIII had received approximately 300 submissions from Asia, Europe, the Americas, Australia, and Africa, with the number expected to reach around 500 by the submission deadline. The film submission period runs from April to mid-August 2026.
HANIFF is distinct from the Ho Chi Minh City International Film Festival (HIFF), which was founded in 2024 and is organized at the municipal level by Ho Chi Minh City. HANIFF is the national-level international festival, organized by the central government's Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism. The two festivals are not in direct competition; HANIFF focuses on Hanoi as a creative capital, while HIFF positions Ho Chi Minh City as a regional creative hub.
Submission Details
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Submission Platform | Official website (haniff.vn) |
| Submission Period | April to mid-August 2026 |
| Eligibility | Feature films over 70 minutes; short films under 60 minutes |
| Completion Window | Films completed between July 30, 2024 and July 30, 2026 (estimated based on HANIFF VII pattern) |
| Previous Submission | Films must not have been submitted to previous HANIFF editions |
| Geographic Scope | Open to all countries (since 2016; previously Asia-Pacific only) |
| Organizers | Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism; Vietnam Cinema Department |
| Website | haniff.vn |
Competition Categories
HANIFF has two main competition categories:
- Feature-length films (over 70 minutes) - competing for Best Feature Film and related awards
- Short films (under 60 minutes) - competing for Best Short Film and related awards
Non-Competition Programs
- Panorama - feature-length and short film selections outside competition
- Selection of Vietnamese Contemporary Films - curated Vietnamese cinema showcase
- Country/Cinema Focus - spotlight on a specific country or region's cinema
- HANIFF Campus - program for young creators
- Film Project Market - project development and pitching forum (expanded for 2026)
Eligibility Rules
- Films must not have been submitted to previous HANIFF editions
- Films must be completed within the eligibility window (for HANIFF VII: between July 30, 2022 and July 30, 2024)
- Since 2016, the festival accepts films from all countries, not just Asia-Pacific
- Competition films should not have competed at other international film festivals in Asia (the selection criteria have become progressively stricter)
Awards and Prizes
HANIFF presents official awards with cash prizes. Based on HANIFF VII (2024) regulations:
| Award | Cash Prize |
|---|---|
| Best Feature-length Film | 125,000,000 VND (approximately $5,000) |
| Best Short Film | 75,000,000 VND (approximately $3,000) |
| Best Director of Feature-length Film | 75,000,000 VND (approximately $3,000) |
| Best Feature-length Film Leading Actor | 75,000,000 VND (approximately $3,000) |
| Best Feature-length Film Leading Actress | 75,000,000 VND (approximately $3,000) |
| Jury Prize for Feature-length Film | 50,000,000 VND (approximately $2,000) |
| Best Director of Short Film | 50,000,000 VND (approximately $2,000) |
| Young Talent Award (ages 18-35) | 50,000,000 VND (approximately $2,000) |
| Jury Prize for Short Film | 25,000,000 VND (approximately $1,000) |
Additional awards include the AFCNet Award, the Hanoi People's Committee Award for Best Feature-length Film, and the Audience's Choice Award for Best Film in the Contemporary Vietnamese Films Collection.
The NETPAC (Network for the Promotion of Asian Cinema) Award is also presented at HANIFF, judged by a separate NETPAC jury.
What Filmmakers Should Know
For Vietnamese Filmmakers
HANIFF is the most established international film festival platform in Vietnam. The Contemporary Vietnamese Films Collection provides a dedicated showcase for new Vietnamese cinema, with an Audience's Choice Award voted by festival attendees. The HANIFF Campus and Film Project Market offer development opportunities for emerging Vietnamese filmmakers.
The 2026 edition's debut film market is particularly significant for Vietnamese filmmakers. The market aims to create a film trading platform and support the professional and internationally integrated development of Vietnam's film industry ecosystem. This is the first time HANIFF will include a market component, which could create new distribution and co-production opportunities.
Vietnamese cinema has experienced significant growth, with Vietnamese films accounting for nearly 70% of cinema screenings domestically, according to Dang Tran Cuong, Director of the Cinema Department. Vietnam is among the few countries where both film production and box office revenue have surpassed pre-pandemic levels. HANIFF provides a platform to showcase this growth to international audiences and industry professionals.
For International Filmmakers
Since 2016, HANIFF accepts competition films from all countries, not just Asia-Pacific. The festival has received submissions from Asia, Europe, the Americas, Australia, and Africa for the 2026 edition. International filmmakers can compete in both feature-length and short film categories.
The competition criteria require that films have not competed at other international film festivals in Asia. This means if your film has already screened in competition at another Asian festival (Tokyo, Busan, Shanghai, etc.), it may not be eligible for HANIFF competition. Verify the current eligibility rules on haniff.vn before submitting.
The festival's selection committee for HANIFF VIII is chaired by Dang Tran Cuong, Director of the Vietnam Film Department, with Meritorious Artist Bui Trung Hai as vice chairman. The committee evaluates submissions based on artistic quality, diversity, and success in style and structure.
Industry and Networking
HANIFF's industry programming has expanded progressively. The 2026 edition includes:
- Film Project Market - a pitching and development forum for film projects, with a Best Project award and Jury Prize
- HANIFF Campus - a program for young creators with workshops and mentorship
- Seminars - the 24th Vietnam Film Festival (November 2025) included seminars on developing the film industry, attracting film crews to localities, and promoting archived moving image materials
- Mobile Film Screenings - outreach screenings beyond Hanoi
The 2026 film market debut represents the most significant industry expansion in HANIFF's history. The market aims to create an annual film trading platform, though specific market accreditation details had not been announced as of early 2026.
Practical Considerations
Hanoi is accessible via Noi Bai International Airport (HAN), approximately 45 minutes from the city center. The festival typically runs 5 days (based on HANIFF VIII: November 24 to 28, 2026). Vietnam requires visas for most international visitors, with an e-visa system available for many nationalities.
Hanoi in late November has mild temperatures (approximately 18 to 24 degrees Celsius) with low rainfall, making it a comfortable time to visit. The city has accommodation options across price ranges, particularly in the Hoan Kiem and Ba Dinh districts where festival events are typically held.
The festival is organized under the authority of the Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism, which means content is subject to Vietnamese censorship regulations. Films with political content sensitive to the Vietnamese government may face programming restrictions. International filmmakers should be aware that Vietnam's cinema law includes content review provisions.
Festival History
HANIFF was founded in 2010 as the Vietnam International Film Festival (VNIFF), established by a decision of the Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism on August 16, 2010. The first edition took place October 17 to 21, 2010, in Hanoi as part of the celebrations for the 1000th anniversary of Thang Long (Hanoi). The inaugural edition received 96 films from 30 countries, with 10 feature-length films and 12 documentaries and short films in competition. The first Best Feature Film award went to Sandcastle (Singapore, directed by Boo Junfeng).
The festival was renamed Hanoi International Film Festival (HANIFF) starting with the 2nd edition in 2012. Until 2014, competition entries were limited to films from Asia-Pacific countries. Since 2016, the festival accepts competition films from all countries.
The festival has grown significantly:
- 1st edition (2010): 96 films from 30 countries; 10 features and 12 shorts in competition
- 2nd edition (2012): 200+ films from 38 countries; 116 films selected; 14 features and 13 shorts in competition
- 3rd edition (2014): 130 films from 32 countries; 12 features and 31 shorts in competition
- 7th edition (2024): HANIFF VII ran November 7 to 11, 2024, with films completed between July 30, 2022 and July 30, 2024
The selection criteria have become progressively stricter over editions. Initially requiring only that films had not competed in Southeast Asia, the criteria later expanded to exclude films that had competed at any international festival in Asia. This ensures HANIFF programming remains fresh and undiscovered at Asian festivals.
The artistic director since the festival's founding is Ngo Phuong Lan. The festival alternates biennially with the Vietnam Film Festival (the national cinema festival organized by the same ministry), creating a cycle where one or the other occurs each year.
The 2026 8th edition's debut film market represents a new phase in HANIFF's development, moving from a purely festival model to incorporating a market component. This aligns with Vietnam's broader strategy of expanding its film industry's global integration, as reflected in the 24th Vietnam Film Festival's theme: "Vietnam cinema - Sustainable development and international integration in the new era."
See Also
Calculate your total festival submission costs and projected return using the Festival ROI Calculator. Estimate your acceptance probability with the Festival Acceptance Odds Estimator. For Southeast Asian festival strategy, see Film Festival Strategy. For the Ho Chi Minh City International Film Festival (HIFF), Vietnam's newest international festival, see HIFF. For international film market analysis, see International Film Markets. Visit the official website.
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