# 20th Vietnam Film Festival

The 20th Vietnam Film Festival was held from November 24 to November 28, 2017, in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, with the slogan "Building a modern and humane film industry" (Vietnamese: "Xây dựng nền công nghiệp điện ảnh hiện đại và nhân văn").

## Event

The 20th Vietnam Film Festival reunites with the coastal city of Da Nang after 29 years since the 8th Vietnam Film Festival (1988). And for the first time in the history of the Vietnam Film Festival, the Feature Film category was absent from the state film line.
This festival has a number of changes, such as removing the direct-to-video feature film category because it is outdated; established the ASEAN Film Awards to honor works in the region. 10 countries in Southeast Asia have brought to the festival international award-winning films, enriching this playground.
4 Golden Lotus awards were given in each category: Feature, Documentary, Science and Animated, along with the Best Film in ASEAN Film Awards. This year, the award for the most favourite film voted by the audience were only for Panorama Program.

### Participation

The cinematographic works participating in the 20th Vietnam Film Festival must be Vietnamese-language films produced by Vietnamese cinema establishments or in cooperation with foreign organizations and individuals and must be free from copyright disputes. Only films licensed from October 11, 2015, to September 10, 2017, will be registered. In special cases, the organizers will flexibly consider.
Remake films can compete and participate in all programs of the event, but cannot compete in the "Best Screenplay" and "Best Film" categories (the Lotus Award).
The Film Festival Selection Board has selected 129 films of all types, from 34 film production units across the country. There were 16 feature films, 26 documentaries, 17 scientific films and 18 animated films. In addition, there are 12 feature films and 10 documentaries in the program "Panorama Cinema". The film "Dạ cổ hoài lang" represents Vietnamese cinema to compete for the ASEAN Film Award. This year, the organizers do not prescribe specific points for each Golden Lotus and Silver Lotus awards. Judges will score from high to low to find the best work.
In addition, 20 films have made the history of Vietnamese revolutionary cinema, from "Chung một dòng sông" (1959), "Chị Tư Hậu" (1963), "Nổi gió" (1966) to "Tôi thấy hoa vàng trên cỏ xanh" (2015) will be screened to serve the audience during the festival. The audience will see once-loved films such as "Mẹ vắng nhà", "Vị đắng tình yêu", "Em bé Hà Nội", "Bao giờ cho đến tháng Mười", "Tướng về hưu", "Ngã ba Đồng Lộc", etc.

### Jury

There are 4 jury panels established at the 20th Vietnam Film Festival. In which, the jury of the ASEAN Film Awards operates independently from the other 3 panels.
The jury for the feature film category consists of 9 members:
* Director Đặng Nhật Minh (Head)
* Director Victor Vũ
* Director Trần Lực
* Screenwriter Trịnh Thanh Nhã
* Cinematographer Đặng Phúc Yên
* Film critic Tô Hoàng
* Painter Vi Ngọc Mai
* Composer Trần Mạnh Hùng
* Actress Nhật Kim Anh
Documentary/science film jury has 8 members:
* Director Lê Thi (Head)
* Director Nguyễn Thước
* Sound director Lê Huy Hòa
* Director Huỳnh Văn Hùng
* Director Nguyễn Trung Hiếu
* Journalist Phạm Việt Tiến, Former Deputy General Director of Vietnam Television
* Journalist Đinh Trọng Tuấn
Animated film jury has 5 members as follows:
* Screenwriter, film critic Đoàn Minh Tuấn (Head)
* Director Đào Minh Uyển
* Animator Lê Thế Anh
* Composer Doãn Nguyên
* Journalist Ngô Minh Nguyệt
The 20th Vietnam Film Festival will host the ASEAN Film Awards (ASEAN FILM Awards). The award is organized at the initiative of Vietnam with the meaning of celebrating the 50th anniversary of the founding of ASEAN. With the theme "Cinema connects the ASEAN community", the award's criteria are towards excellent cinematographic works, filmmakers and cinematic artists with outstanding creativity in ASEAN; at the same time discovering and encouraging new talents of ASEAN cinema. Three prestigious film activists of South Korean, Hong Kong and Polish cinema have accepted to join the Awards Jury:
* Director/producer Jonathan Hyong-Joon Kim (South Korea)
* Screenwriter/producer Roger Garcia, Executive Director of Hong Kong International Film Festival
* Director/screenwriter Karolina Bielawska (Poland)

### Activities

Before the film festival officially took place, on the evening of November 8, the film week to celebrate the 20th Vietnam Film Festival opened in Hanoi. The event is chaired by the Cinema Department, in collaboration with the National Cinema Center, and will be held from November 8 to November 14 in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City.
The festival also has many side activities such as:
* Exhibition "Signature of Vietnam cinema through 20 periods of Vietnam Film Festival" (Vietnamese: “Dấu ấn Điện ảnh Việt Nam qua 20 kỳ Liên hoan Phim Việt Nam”)
* Artists exchange with audience, students of Duy Tân University
* Artists exchange with soldiers of armed forces, Đà Nẵng Military Command
* Seminar "Vietnam Film Festival in the development of national cinema" (Vietnamese: “Liên hoan Phim Việt Nam trong sự nghiệp phát triển điện ảnh dân tộc”)
* Seminar "The way to bring ASEAN cinema to the world" (Vietnamese: “Con đường đưa điện ảnh ASEAN ra thế giới”)
Films participating in the festival are screened for free at 3 cinemas Lê Độ, Galaxy Đà Nẵng and CGV Đà Nẵng.
Both of the opening and closing ceremonies took place at Trưng Vương Theater, 35A Phan Châu Trinh, Đà Nẵng City. The Opening Ceremony will be broadcast live on VTV2 at 20:00 on November 24. The Closing and Awards Ceremony were broadcast live on VTV1 at 20:00 on November 28.

## Official Selection
### Feature film
#### In Competition

| Original title | English title | Director(s) | Production |
| 12 chòm sao: Vẽ đường cho yêu chạy | Zodiac 12: Five Steps of Love | Vũ Ngọc Phượng | Skyline Media |
| Bạn gái tôi là sếp | She Is The Boss | Hàm Trần | Galaxy M&E |
| Bao giờ có yêu nhau | I'll Wait | Dustin Nguyễn | Dreamscape D.B.S |
| Cha cõng con | Father and Son | Lương Đình Dũng | (independent film) |
| Cho em gần anh thêm chút nữa | | Văn Công Viễn | Yeah1 CMG, Galaxy M&E |
| Chờ em đến ngày mai | Until You | Đinh Tuấn Vũ | Thiên Phúc Entertainment, CGV |
| Cô Ba Sài Gòn | The Tailor | Trần Bửu Lộc, Nguyễn Lê Phương Khanh | VAA Productions, Thủy Design House, K+ |
| Cô gái đến từ hôm qua | The Girl from Yesterday | Phan Gia Nhật Linh | CJ Entertainment, Yeah1 CMG |
| Cô hầu gái | The Housemaid | Derek Nguyen | HKFilm, CJ E&M |
| Đảo của dân ngụ cư | The Way Station | Hồng Ánh | Blue Productions, Live Media |
| Em chưa 18 | Jailbait | Lê Thanh Sơn | Chánh Phương Film, Cinebox, HKFilm |
| Hot boy nổi loạn 2 | Lost in Paradise 2 | Vũ Ngọc Đãng | Song Ngư Films |
| Nắng | Sunshine | Đồng Đăng Giao | NT Studio |
| Sắc đẹp ngàn cân | 200 Pounds Beauty | James Ngô | TNA Entertainment |
| Sài Gòn, anh yêu em | Saigon, I Love You | Lý Minh Thắng, Huỳnh Lập, La Quốc Hùng | Liveon |
| Sứ mệnh trái tim | Mission of Heart | Đỗ Đức Thịnh | Thiên Phúc Entertainment, CGV |
    Highlighted title indicates Golden Lotus winner.

#### Panorama Program

| Original title | English title | Director(s) | Production |
| Bệnh viên ma | Ghost Hospital | Võ Thanh Hòa | NT Studio |
| Có căn nhà nằm nghe nắng mưa | Like an Old House | Mai Thế Hiệp, Trầm Nguyễn Bình Nguyên | Fortune Projects |
| Lời nguyền gia tộc | | Đặng Thái Huyền | StyleTV, InfoTV |
| Nàng tiên có 5 nhà | | Trần Ngọc Giàu | Nghiệp Thắng Co. Ltd, Kim Mã Entertainment, Cinebox |
| Nắng 2 | Sunshine 2 | Đồng Đăng Giao | NT Studio |
| Ngày tình yêu | White Valentine | Davina Hồng Ngân | Thanh Long Communication |
| Ngày mai Mai cưới | Get Married | Nguyễn Tấn Phước | Beta Productions |
| Nữ đại gia | The Rich Woman | Lê Văn Kiệt | Phim Tiger, Ánh Sao Production |
| Taxi, em tên gì? | Taxi, What's Your Name? | Đỗ Đức Thịnh, Đinh Tuấn Vũ | Thiên Phúc Entertainment |
| Tấm Cám: Chuyện chưa kể | Tam Cam: The Untold Story | Ngô Thanh Vân | VAA Productions, BHD |
| Vệ sĩ Sài Gòn | Saigon Bodyguards | Ochiai Ken | Rhombus Media, Transnational Arts Ent., CJ Entertainment |
| Yêu đi, đừng sợ! | Kiss & Spell | Stephane Gauger | HKFilm |
    Highlighted title indicates the most favorite film voted by the audience.

#### ASEAN Film Awards

| Original title | English title | Director(s) | Production Country |
| Waris | Descendant | Haji Sapami Abdullah | Brunei |
| | Benevolence of the Contemporary Mother | | Cambodia |
| Turah | Leftovers | Wicaksono Wisnu Legowo | Indonesia |
| Hong Harm Tao/หงส์หามเต่า | Swan Lifts Turtle | Jear Pacific | Laos |
| | Adrift | | Malaysia |
| Eden Yae' Nat Thamee/အေဒင်ရဲ့နတ်သမီး | Angel of Eden | Mee Pwar | Myanmar |
| Birdshot | Birdshot | Mikhail Red | Philippines |
| A Yellow Bird | A Yellow Bird | K. Rajagopal | Singapore |
| Dao Khanong/ดาวคะนอง | By the Time It Gets Dark | Anocha Suwichakornpong | Thailand |
| Dạ cổ hoài lang | Night Drumbeats Cause Longing for Absent Husband | Nguyễn Quang Dũng | Vietnam |
    Highlighted title indicates Best Film Award winner.

## Awards
### Feature film

| Award | Award | Winner |
| Film | Golden Lotus | Jailbait |
| Film | Silver Lotus | Father and Son The Housemaid |
| Film | Jury's Merit | The Tailor Zodiac 12: Five Steps of Love |
| Film | Audience Choice | Kiss & Spell |
| Best Director | Best Director | Vũ Ngọc Đãng – Lost in Paradise 2 |
| Best Actor | Best Actor | Quý Bình – I'll Wait |
| Best Actress | Best Actress | Kaity Nguyễn – Jailbait |
| Best Supporting Actor | Best Supporting Actor | Nhan Phúc Vinh – The Way Station |
| Best Supporting Actress | Best Supporting Actress | Hà Mi – The Girl from Yesterday |
| Best Screenplay | Best Screenplay | Bùi Kim Quy, Lương Đình Dũng – Father and Son |
| Best Cinematography | Best Cinematography | Lý Thái Dũng – The Way Station |
| Best Art Design | Best Art Design | Nguyễn Minh Đương, Lê Đức Hiệp – The Tailor |
| Best Original Score | Best Original Score | Jérôme Leroy – The Housemaid |
| Best Sound Design | Best Sound Design | Franck Desmoulins – The Housemaid |

### Documentary/Science film
#### Documentary film

| Award | Award | Winner |
| Film | Golden Lotus | Sống và kể lại |
| Film | Silver Lotus | Việt Nam thời bao cấp Ngày về |
| Film | Jury's Merit | Bảy “Cồ” - Đồng Tháp Kể tiếp chuyện hôm qua |
| Best Director | Best Director | Nguyễn Hoàng Lâm – Sống và kể lại |
| Best Screenplay | Best Screenplay | Đào Thanh Tùng – Việt Nam thời bao cấp |
| Best Cinematography | Best Cinematography | Nguyễn Quang Tuấn – Lộc nước |
| Best Sound Design | Best Sound Design | Nguyễn Đình Cảnh – Xuphanuvông với Việt Nam |

#### Science film

| Award | Award | Winner |
| Film | Golden Lotus | Một giải pháp chống xói lở bờ biển |
| Film | Silver Lotus | Nuôi cấy tinh tử trong điều trị vô tinh nam |
| Film | Jury's Merit | Thuyền biển Việt Nam |
| Best Director | Best Director | Phùng Ngọc Tú – Một giải pháp chống xói lở bờ biển |
| Best Screenplay | Best Screenplay | Lê Thị Thanh Bình – Thuyền biển Việt Nam |
| Best Cinematography | Best Cinematography | Dương Văn Huân, Nguyễn Tài Việt, Ngô Quý Dương, Nguyễn Xuân Chinh – Khúc biến tấu của côn trùng |
| Best Sound Design | Best Sound Design | Nguyễn Vinh Khoa – Muốn về nhà |

### Animated film

| Award | Award | Winner |
| Film | Golden Lotus | Cậu bé Ma-nơ-canh |
| Film | Silver Lotus | Một lần đào ngũ Sóc nâu đáng yêu |
| Film | Jury's Merit | Truyền thuyết chiếc khăn Piêu Sự tích hoa phượng |
| Best Director | Best Director | Trịnh Lâm Tùng – Một lần đào ngũ |
| Best Screenplay | Best Screenplay | Hoàng Phương Thảo, Phạm Sông Đông – Cậu bé Ma-nơ-canh |
| Best Shaping Animator | Best Shaping Animator | Nguyễn Phương Hoa – Truyền thuyết chiếc khăn Piêu |
| Best Acting Animator | Best Acting Animator | The Animator Crew of Sóc nâu đáng yêu |
| Best Original Score | Best Original Score | Nguyễn Chí Phong – Sóc nâu đáng yêu |

### ASEAN Film Awards

| Award | Winner |
| Best Film | A Yellow Bird |
| Best Director | Wicaksono Wisnu Legowo – Leftovers |
| Best Actor | Sivakumar Palakrishnan – A Yellow Bird |
| Best Actress | Mary Joy Apostol – Birdshot |