Developing the film industry: Many advantages, many challenges

SGGPO 11/16/2023 20:27

There are many advantages compared to other sectors in the cultural industry, but for cinema to reach its expected goals in terms of both position and strength, there is still much to do.

On the afternoon of November 16, at Galaxy Nguyen Du Cinema (District 1, Ho Chi Minh City), a workshop on "Developing cinema into a cultural industry and experiences from Korea and France" took place. This is an activity within the framework of the Ho Chi Minh City International Film Festival (HIFF), which will be held for the first time in April 2024.

The event was attended by Mr. Kim Dong-ho, founder of Busan Film Festival, Honorary President of HIFF and Mr. Jeremy Segay - Audiovisual Attaché, Embassy of France in Southeast Asia, along with the cinema community of Ho Chi Minh City.

Delegates and guests attending the workshop

At the seminar, the two speakers sincerely shared about the development process of the film industry in Korea and France as well as their perspectives and lessons for the Vietnamese film industry, especially when HIFF will be held for the first time in 2024. This is an important event expected to mark a great step forward for the Vietnamese film industry.

Ms. Nguyen Thi Thanh Thuy, Deputy Director of the Department of Culture and Sports of Ho Chi Minh City, provided a lot of information about the orientation and development goals of the film industry in Ho Chi Minh City.

At the event, Ms. Nguyen Thi Thanh Thuy, Deputy Director of the Department of Culture and Sports of Ho Chi Minh City, shared about the current situation and development plan of the film industry in Ho Chi Minh City. She emphasized the outstanding achievements, opportunities and challenges that Vietnamese cinema is facing, such as: film distribution; copyright infringement and copyright protection; socialization of cinema to build a healthy environment; ways to support and create opportunities for young filmmakers to freely develop their talents and creativity through their works. At the same time, Ms. Thanh Thuy also mentioned a number of key solutions, focusing on building and investing in cultural institutions, mechanisms to protect cinema, funds to support young resources, calling for investment and strengthening international cooperation in the context of globalization.

At the conference, Mr. Kim Dong-ho, Honorary President of HIFF 2024, shared about the development process of the Korean film industry over the past 50 years with many films that have made a strong impression on the international film market such as Parasite, Squid Game ...

Mr. Kim Dong-ho, founder of Busan International Film Festival

“The Ho Chi Minh City International Film Festival taking place next year is an event that I am sure will be as successful as the Busan International Film Festival,” Mr. Kim Dong-ho affirmed.

When asked about how to promote young filmmakers in Vietnam, Mr. Kim Dong-ho said that choosing the film genre is very important. There needs to be a specific program to create opportunities for them to participate in creativity and carefully select suitable works and methods to reach the public more closely.

Also at the conference, Mr. Jeremy Segay, Audiovisual Attaché, Embassy of France in Southeast Asia, praised the remarkable progress of Vietnamese cinema in post-production, application of special effects and techniques. He said that HIFF 2024 is a special opportunity to introduce Vietnamese film culture to international friends. This is also an opportunity for Ho Chi Minh City residents to have more access to world cinema.

Jeremy Segay, Audiovisual Attaché, French Embassy in Southeast Asia

At the same time, Mr. Jeremy also pointed out some shortcomings of Vietnamese cinema and proposed some measures to improve and overcome those shortcomings. Specifically, according to him, it is very necessary to establish a film council, which will provide a database of film locations for producers to refer to and attract world filmmakers; as well as a way to introduce Ho Chi Minh City as an ideal filmmaking location.

Director Nguyen Vinh Son also gave practical suggestions at the workshop.

Attending the workshop, director Nguyen Vinh Son confided that the gap between audiences of commercial films and art films is too large. Therefore, he hopes that the upcoming HIFF 2024 will be an opportunity and motivation to shorten that gap.

Source: https://www.sggp.org.vn/phat-trien-cong-nghiep-dien-anh-nhieu-thuan-loi-lam-thach-thuc-post714444.html