With such long lines of people waiting at the theatre, you might think they’ve come to see some famous Hollywood movie. In fact, these viewers have come for the Vietnam film festival. It’s a promising sign that most of them are young people, who are typically thought to favor foreign movies.
" I like films that have specific messages. It is even better if they have some funny moments." - Thu Thao, Audience/Festival goer.
"In my opinion, films that capture beautiful scenes attract viewers." - Huyen Trang, Audience/Festival goer.
Free screenings of 125 competing movies are taking place at 4 major cinemas across the city. Along with movies that hit record sales, such as ‘Yellow Flowers on the Green Grass’ and ‘Flapping in the Middle of Nowhere’, the festival also introduced new, not-yet-released films. The good news is that not only movies, but also documentary and science films can attract large numbers of viewers.
"Vietnamese films nowadays invest more in visuals and content. This makes them more remarkable, and they receive love and positive feedback from audiences." - Hai Anh, Audience/Festival goer.
"This year, the visual aspect of films has improved, and subjects are more relevant to people’s daily lives. Emotions and issues in society are also more sophisticated." - Vuong The Phong, Director, CGV Cinema, Ho Chi Minh City.
The positive response from audiences reflects the present state of Vietnam’s film industry. This year, besides judges’ votes, audience feedback will be an important factor in rating the films.
