ABU Documentary Production Conference Opens Opportunities for Regional Filmmaker Collaboration

On the morning of May 22, at Vietnam Television (VTV), the documentary production training workshop continued with several specialized discussion sessions featuring experienced international experts in television and documentary filmmaking. That session  marked the close  of the ABU Documentary Production Conference which runs   from May 19 to 22.

The documentary production workshop is held on May 22 in the morning.

Two of the program's highlights  were the two masterclass sessions “Storytelling That Resonates - An ABU Prize Winner’s Journey” and “A Life in Documentary: Three Decades of Storytelling”, presented by   Murase Fuminori, director at  Nagoya Television Broadcasting (Japan).

Mr. Murase Fuminori is a veteran producer known for socially impactful and deeply humanistic works. He won the ABU Award in 2005 for the documentary “Running Out of Time - A Doctor’s Dilemma”, along with numerous prestigious Japanese awards for documentary filmmaking and television journalism.

At the workshop, he shared the production journey behind “Running Out of Time”, particularly his approach to exploring rare diseases through emotionally powerful storytelling. According to him, the most important aspect of documentaries is not merely delivering information, but creating empathy between the audience and the characters.

Mr. Murase Fuminori from Nagoya Television Broadcasting, Japan (second from right).

The Japanese director also praised Vietnamese productions. He said he was particularly impressed by documentaries  that explore  issues closely connected to people’s daily lives, such as   searching for fallen soldiers’ remains,   forest conservation, and drug-related issues among young people. According to Mr. Murase Fuminori, the cinematography techniques of Vietnamese filmmakers also left a strong impression, not only within Asia but also  when compared with productions in Japan.

He   emphasized the importance of  directors and producers from different countries  watching each other’s works and exchanging experiences. Documentaries can serve as  a tool that helps people understand one another better, promoting long-term peace and mutual understanding between individuals and nations.

Ms. Xiao Xiaowai, Executive Producer of CARE 13 at CGTN, shared valuable insights into international documentary production. With over 20 years of experience, Ms. Xiaowai has won several prestigious awards, including the Gold Camera Award at the US International Film & Video Festival. Her work, “Enduring Legacy” from the “Sunrise Over the Plateau” series, won the Producer’s Choice Award at ABU CARE 12 Series 2025.

At the same event, Ms. Nurashikin Zaharuddin, a  Malaysian  filmmaker and co-founder of Happy Campers Productions, shared her experience serving as an international awards juror. With over 25 years of  broadcasting experience, she has served on the ABU Prizes jury and on many international documentary film festival adjudication panels. She believes that television documentaries are facing major challenges in attracting younger audiences amid the rapid growth of digital platforms.

Ms. Nurashikin Zaharuddin, filmmaker and co-founder of Happy Campers Productions (Malaysia) (left).

Ms. Nurashikin emphasized that television broadcasters should adopt audience engagement strategies from digital platforms while leveraging their unique strengths to provide high-quality content. She expressed hope for continued cooperation between ABU and VTV to foster  a learning environment for regional producers. She also encouraged VTV to send more expert documentary directors and producers to future ABU training activities.

Journalist  Nhat Hoa, Deputy Director of the Science and Education Department at Vietnam Television,  shared his thoughts on the conference. She said that in-depth workshops,  such as those organized within the ABU Documentary Production Conference, are   valuable opportunities for VTV documentary filmmakers, as they  provide learning experiences and    chances to engage directly with international professional standards.

According to journalist Nhat Hoa, Vietnam has an abundance of compelling stories and rich real-life material for documentary filmmaking. However, after exchanging ideas  with international experts, filmmakers realized the need to invest more deeply in idea development, character building, storytelling techniques, and cinematic language so that their works can resonate more strongly with audiences.

She was particularly impressed by a remark from director Xiao Xiaowai of CGTN: “We turn assignments into passion”. According to journalist Nhat Hoa, this perspective closely reflects the working environment at VTV, where producers are often assigned topics outside their personal expertise, ranging from politics and culture to social issues. Yet, with enough research, filmmakers can eventually develop empathy and genuine affection for their subjects.

Journalist Nhat Hoa, Deputy Director of the Science and Education Department at Vietnam Television.

The discussion sessions  at the ABU Documentary Production Conference   enhance capacity and   create  opportunities for networking and experience-sharing among regional filmmakers. The conference is considered an important occasion for VTV’s production teams to explore modern storytelling trends, hone their  creative skills, and gradually bring Vietnamese documentaries closer to international award recognition.

Below are some photos of   conference attendees taking commemorative pictures at VTV: