# 14th Vietnam Film Festival

The 14th Vietnam Film Festival was held from November 4 to November 11, 2004 in Buôn Ma Thuột City, Đắk Lắk Province, Vietnam, with the slogan: "For an advanced Vietnam cinema imbued with national identity" (Vietnamese: "Vì một nền điện ảnh Việt Nam tiên tiến, đậm đà bản sắc dân tộc").

## Event

This is the first film festival held in the Central Highlands, the first time a non-state cinema unit has submitted works, marking a new turning point in the implementation of the country's policy of socializing cinema. It was also announced that: "For the first time there will be the Technique Award and the Most Popular Film award. These are calculated for each genre, to encourage cinematographers to develop their talents." But later in the award ceremony, the most popular film award was cancelled. "Because the number of votes for the "most popular" films is too scattered, no film can reach more than half of the total votes, so it cannot be awarded," said Mrs. Nguyễn Thị Hồng Ngát, Deputy Director of the Cinema Department.

### Participation

A total of 101 films entered the festival: 22 feature films, 15 direct-to-video feature films, 46 documentaries/science films (16 feature films & 30 direct-to-video films) and 18 animated films. 4 Golden Lotuses was awarded to the feature film "Người đàn bà mộng du", the direct-to-video film "Mùa sen", the documentary film "Thang đá ngược ngàn" and the animated film "Chuyện về những đôi giày".
A surprise was the Silver Lotus award given to the private film "Những cô gái chân dài". This is the first time a private film has entered the Film Festival. It is suggested that this is just an encouragement. However, according to the criteria of this film festival, this is an example of a cinema that is gradually reaching the audience.

### Activities

The film screening program and exchanges with the film crew before the screenings will take place from November 4th to 7th at Hưng Đạo Cinema, Kim Đồng Cinema and Provincial Party Hall of Đắk Lắk Province in the morning (8:00), afternoon (14:00) and evening (19:00).
The conference within the framework of this film festival also has a big difference. Previously, the seminars focused only on the professional, the situation of film production ("input" of the films). This time, only one seminar was held, which is "Solutions to attract movie audiences" (Vietnamese: "Giải pháp thu hút khán giả điện ảnh"). This shows the beginning of interest in the "output" of the movies.
The festival also includes the following activities:
* On November 5, a seminar on Vietnamese films (8:30); Artists interact with workers at Thắng Lợi Coffee Farm (14:00); Exchange with the audience in Buôn Ma Thuột City at the Central House of Culture (19:00);
* On November 6, the artist interacted with students of Tây Nguyên University (8:30) and at 19:00 interacted with border guards.
* At 19:45 on November 7 at Ngã Sáu Square, the closing night of the 14th Vietnam Film Festival will take place and will be broadcast live on VTV.

### Inadequacy

The cancellation of the "public favorite" award without notice, the addition of a Silver Lotus award to "Những cô gái chân dài" while excluding or honoring films of high artistic quality that represent Judging criteria are quite arbitrary. It caused a reaction among artists and in public opinion.
The announcement that the awards were decided by the Steering Committee of the Film Festival on the basis of the proposal of the jury caused many questions and doubts. It is not known who the Steering Committee consists of, what is the level of artistic appraisal, whether you have seen the film, whether there is a collective decision? It is known that before the award ceremony, there were members of the Steering Committee who did not know anything about the award results because they were not discussed.
The festival also suffered from many technical errors in the organization. At the opening ceremony of the artists, the delegates were pushed up and down, running in and out to serve the director's script. The tiny logo made of white paper pasted on the font looks very sketchy. After the award ceremony, artists and journalists flocked to Thắng Lợi Hotel to attend a reception. The invitations began at 9:30 p.m., but they had to wait almost an hour without eating because the host was still outside the stage for the music show without an apology when the reception was delayed. .

## Official Selection
### Feature film

| Original title | English title | Director(s) | Production |
| Biển đợi | | Trần Ngọc Phong | Giải Phóng Film |
| Cái tát sau cánh gà | The Backstage Slap | Đặng Tất Bình | Feature Film Studio I |
| Của rơi | Missing Object | Vương Đức | VFS |
| Đêm Bến Tre | Bến Tre Night | Trần Phương | People's Army Cinema |
| Gái nhảy | Bar Girls | Lê Hoàng | Giải Phóng Film |
| Hà Nội 12 ngày đêm | Hanoi: 12 Days and Nights | Bùi Đình Hạc | VFS |
| Hàng xóm | The Neighbors | Phạm Lộc | VFS |
| Ký ức Điện Biên | Memories of Điện Biên | Đỗ Minh Tuấn | VFS |
| Lưới trời | Heaven's Net | Phi Tiến Sơn | Feature Film Studio I |
| Mê Thảo, thời vang bóng | Mê Thảo: There Was a Time When | Việt Linh | Giải Phóng Film |
| Một giờ làm quan | | Vũ Châu | VFS |
| Nguyễn Ái Quốc ở Hồng Công | Nguyễn Ái Quốc in Hongkong | Nguyễn Khắc Lợi | Vivafilm, Zhujiang Film Prod. |
| Người đàn bà mộng du | Sleep-walking Woman | Nguyễn Thanh Vân | VFS |
| Người học trò đất Gia Định xưa | | Huy Thành | Nguyễn Đình Chiểu Film |
| Những cô gái chân dài | The Long-Legged Girls | Vũ Ngọc Đãng | Galaxy Studio |
| Tết này ai đến xông nhà | | Trần Lực | VFS |
| Thời xa vắng | A Time Far Past | Hồ Quang Minh | Giải Phóng Film |
| Tiếng dương cầm trong mưa | Piano in the Rain | Lê Hữu Lương | Giải Phóng Film |
| Trái đắng | Bitter Fruit | Lê Văn Duy | Nguyễn Đình Chiểu Film |
| Trò đùa của Thiên Lôi | Thunderer's Joke | Nguyễn Quang | Feature Film Studio I |
| U14 - Đội bóng trong mơ | U14 the Dream Football Team | Lâm Lê Dũng | Giải Phóng Film |
| Vua bãi rác | Foul King | Đỗ Minh Tuấn | VFS |
    Highlighted title indicates Golden Lotus winner.

## Awards
### Feature film

| Award | Award | Winner |
| Film | Golden Lotus | Người đàn bà mộng du |
| Film | Silver Lotus | Lưới trời Hà Nội 12 ngày đêm Những cô gái chân dài |
| Film | Grand Jury Prize | Nguyễn Ái Quốc ở Hồng Công |
| Film | Jury's Merit | Của rơi Vua bãi rác |
| Film | Technique Prize | Hàng xóm Trò đùa của Thiên Lôi |
| Best Director | Best Director | Nguyễn Thanh Vân – Người đàn bà mộng du |
| Best Actor | Best Actor | Đức Khuê – Của rơi, Hàng xóm |
| Best Actress | Best Actress | Hồng Ánh – Người đàn bà mộng du |
| Best Supporting Actor | Best Supporting Actor | Lê Vũ Long – Người đàn bà mộng du |
| Best Supporting Actress | Best Supporting Actress | Thúy Nga – Mê Thảo, thời vang bóng |
| Best Screenplay | Best Screenplay | Nguyễn Mạnh Tuấn – Lưới trời |
| Best Cinematography | Best Cinematography | Nguyễn Hữu Tuấn – Người đàn bà mộng du |
| Best Art Design | Best Art Design | Phạm Hồng Phong – Mê Thảo, thời vang bóng |
| Best Original Score | Best Original Score | Đỗ Hồng Quân – Của rơi, Hà Nội 12 ngày đêm |

#### Direct-to-video

| Award | Award | Winner |
| Film | Golden Lotus | Mùa sen |
| Film | Silver Lotus | Chim phí bay về cội nguồn Không còn gì để nói |
| Film | Technique Prize | Điệp vụ thứ nhất |
| Best Director | Best Director | Võ Tấn Bình – Mùa sen |
| Best Actor | Best Actor | Mạnh Cường – Không còn gì để nói |
| Best Actress | Best Actress | Thanh Thúy – Mùa sen |
| Best Supporting Actor | Best Supporting Actor | not awarded |
| Best Supporting Actress | Best Supporting Actress | not awarded |
| Best Screenplay | Best Screenplay | Thảo Phương – Chim phí bay về cội nguồn |
| Best Cinematography | Best Cinematography | Nguyễn Hồng Chi – Sống chậm |
| Best Original Score | Best Original Score | Bảo Phúc – Rặng trâm bầu |

### Documentary/Science film

| Award | Award | Winner |
| Film | Golden Lotus | Thang đá ngược ngàn |
| Film | Silver Lotus | Cột mốc vàng Điện Biên Phủ H’Non Sự nhọc nhằn của cát Nuôi tôm hùm lồng trên biển |
| Film | Technique Prize | Kèn đồng |
| Best Director | Best Director | Lê Hồng Chương – Thang đá ngược ngàn |
| Best Screenplay | Best Screenplay | Phan Thanh Tú – Sự nhọc nhằn của cát |
| Best Cinematography | Best Cinematography | Triệu Thế Chiến – Nuôi tôm hùm lồng trên biển |
| Best Sound Design | Best Sound Design | Lê Huy Hòa – Thang đá ngược ngàn |

### Animated film

| Award | Award | Winner |
| Film | Golden Lotus | Chuyện về những đôi giày |
| Film | Silver Lotus | Tiếng nhạc ve Cuộc sống |
| Film | Technique Prize | Mực ống mực nang |
| Best Director | Best Director | Nguyễn Phương Hoa – Chuyện về những đôi giày |
| Best Screenplay | Best Screenplay | Hồ Quảng – Cuộc sống |
| Best Cinematography | Best Cinematography | Nguyễn Văn Nẫm – Tiếng nhạc ve, Cuộc sống |
| Best Animator | Best Animator | Phạm Ngọc Tuấn – Tiếng nhạc ve Hoàng Lộc, Hồng Sơn – Chuyện về những đôi giày Trần Khánh Duyên – Con sâu |
| Best Original Score | Best Original Score | Hoàng Lương – Con sâu |