In his opening speech, Vi Kien Thanh, director of the Cinematography Department under the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and also head of this year’s festival organising board, noted that the market offers an opportunity for producers, directors, and screenwriters to meet, exchange experiences, and introduce their film projects to investors and experts in the film industry from around the world.
This year marks the fifth edition of the film project market, aiming to create a forum for filmmakers from Vietnam and other countries to introduce and promote their ideas to producers, distributors, and potential investors, he shared.
The event has attracted the participation of nearly 70 film projects from 20 countries and territories from around the world.
The organising board has selected the best eight projects to enter the presentation round, including three Vietnamese films, namely “Tôi muốn thuê hoài mãi mãi/Love Encoded”, “Người khóc thuê/Tears for Hire”, and “Memento Mori: Nước/Memento Mori: Water”.
“The Hidden Legacy Blood Enigma”, which is a co-operation project between Vietnam and Argentina, also made the list.
Other four projects were “Red Lights Blue Angels” of Bangladesh, “Rahma” of Turkey, “7 Days of Monsoon” of Malaysia, and “Elephant of The Blinds” of India also made the list.
An awards ceremony for the film project market is scheduled to take place on November 10, with first prize winner to receive a cash prize of VND135 million sponsored by the Embassy of France in Vietnam.
The seventh HANIFF will run from November 7 to 11 in Hanoi. As many as 117 films from 51 countries and territories, including the United States, France, Germany, Sweden, Russia, Denmark, Norway, China, and Japan, will all compete for different titles at the event.
The festival will also feature workshops and discussions celebrating both local and international filmmakers, all whilst exploring the theme of how heritage influences cinematic expression.