VTV secured two First Prizes at the 5th edition of the festival, which welcomed entries from Malaysia, Brunei, Indonesia, Singapore, the Philippines, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, Myanmar, and Vietnam.
The 5th Southeast Asia Children’s Film Festival was held from November 14-15, 2025, in Bangkok, Thailand, under the theme “The Magic of Peace”, honoring the power of storytelling to nurture understanding, kindness, and harmony among Southeast Asian children. The selected films this year impressed audiences through meaningful storytelling, emotional portrayals of childhood, cultural diversity, and positive social influence.
The 5th festival takes place in Bangkok, Thailand.
According to journalist Nhat Hoa, VTV's Deputy Head of Documentary & Educational Features , the 30-member jury panel from 10 countries, led by Korean producer Hyun Sook Chung (recipient of the Prix Jeunesse, Japan Prize, and Chicago International Children’s Festival awards), evaluated the entries thoroughly to select the six most outstanding works from the 27 that that made it to the final round.
VTV honored with two major awards
“Khai’s Walk”, a documentary produced and directed by Hong Hanh, won First Prize in the Non-Fiction - Professional Category for ages 8-12. The film portrays the inspiring journey of Khai, a young boy facing significant physical challenges, yet always remaining optimistic and strong, becoming a symbol of perseverance and beautiful friendship.
First Prize in the Non-Fiction - Professional Category for ages 8-12.
The paper-cut animation “Little Wonders: Cherishing Friend”, directed by Le Binh and written by Kieu Phuong, won the First Prize in the Fiction - Professional Category for children aged seven and under.
In Little Wonders: Cherishing Friend, Bi recalls memories with his grandfather after a small misunderstanding with To To and realizes the true meaning of friendship and the value of “preserving peace”.
Kieu Phuong, the writer, shared that the script was inspired by stories her father told her about war, as well as a touching letter once sent by Rio to a child in a faraway region, a football lover who only had a homemade “jersey” crafted from a plastic bag. She emphasized that the film resonated largely thanks to Le Binh's emotional visual language crafted, along with cinematic sound and post-production.
“I’m happy that I could contribute to the project and even more delighted to be recognized in this new role as a scriptwriter”, she said.
First Prize in the Fiction - Professional Category for children aged 7 and under.
Representatives of the authors and production teams from VTV accept the two First Prizes at the Festival.
Both winning works were produced by the Education and Future Department under the Department of Feature & Educational Programs of VTV, and were broadcast on the VTV7 channel.
