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This is the seventh consecutive year that EUNIC, the Association of European Cultural Institutes and Embassies in Hanoi, has collaborated with the Central Documentary and Scientific Film Studio to select and present documentary films from Europe and Southeast Asia.
Promoting dialogue between Vietnamese and European documentary cinema.
Throughout the festival, each Vietnamese film will be screened alongside films from Austria, Denmark, France, Germany, Israel, Poland, Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland. In addition, there will be a special screening dedicated to films by Southeast Asian filmmakers.
Cambodia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Indonesia, Laos, Thailand, and Vietnam (in Hanoi on June 13th, and in Ho Chi Minh City on June 14th and 18th).
The exciting screening schedule promises diverse experiences, allowing audiences to engage with different cultures. The vast scope of documentary films, whether Western or Eastern in style, shares a common characteristic: a passion for exploring the world through images. The selected films, many of which have won awards at international film festivals, offer honest perspectives on the world, providing new insights into daily life, societal changes, and the cultural values of the participating countries.
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Opening film: "Homeland Melody" by Germany
The opening film by German filmmaker Arne Birkenstock is an emotionally charged documentary in which Kiwi horn player Hayden Chisholm meets musicians and singers of all ages, traditions, modernity, eccentricity, and even the most serious. However, they all share a common passion for music, embodying the noble love that Germans have for their homeland. Director Arne Birkenstock will be present to introduce this award-winning film and lead a workshop during the festival (June 10-13).
Eight European countries and Israel will bring films that tell stories from their respective nations.
Swedish director Anna Odell's "Class Reunion" takes viewers to a grim reunion of former classmates. Primarily based on Odell's own experiences of being bullied in school, the semi-autobiographical documentary reveals the complexities of power and exclusion. The French film "Multinational Classroom" explores the plight of immigrant children aged 11-15 from Serbia, Brazil, Tunisia, China, and Senegal in an integration classroom where they learn French together. Israeli director Shirly Berkovitzis's "Good Child" is a compelling story about a 22-year-old Israeli man secretly saving money for gender reassignment surgery in Thailand. Berkovitzis will also be present to introduce this fascinating documentary. In her stunning directorial debut, the director...
Denmark's Saskia Bisp will take audiences to lands where gender isn't a given; Imperfect Boundaries is a subtle, humorous, and thought-provoking film about the courage of people to completely change themselves. Poland presents the 2014 Oscar-nominated film Our Curse, the story of parents struggling to come to terms with their newborn son Leo's rare condition. Spain's Map tells the story of a young filmmaker's journey to India in search of a new "map" for life. Austria's The Grand Museum offers a curious, witty, and humorous behind-the-scenes look at a world-renowned cultural institution, the Kunsthistorisches Museum in Vienna.
A Swiss contribution, the film "To Live Without Moving Is Not to Live" tells the story of the unsung hero of Switzerland, Alexander Yersin (1863-1943), who was instrumental in saving Europe from the bubonic plague.
Ten Vietnamese films
As the official partner and host in Hanoi, the Central Documentary and Scientific Film Studio is responsible for selecting ten Vietnamese documentaries to participate in the festival. This year, the selection will focus on films that have been invited to international festivals and have received high praise from experts. The films explore various themes related to the country's history, culture, and society. "Homeland" explores rural issues and the cultural and material lives of farmers in the market economy era, while "The Red River in 12 Sections" focuses on depicting the spiritual and cultural life of Vietnamese people along the Red River from its source to its downstream. The concerns and problems of farmers are also highlighted in "Multidimensional Poverty in Dong Mam," a film that provides a comprehensive view of sustainable poverty reduction efforts in Vietnam, showing that with community support, farmers must rise up through their own strength and willpower. "Remaining with Time" recounts the diaries and letters of North Vietnamese soldiers fighting on the South Vietnamese battlefield during the war against the US to save the country. "A Drop in the Ocean" is a documentary about the life and career of General Vo Nguyen Giap - the legendary general, the elder brother of the Vietnam People's Army. "Sowing Words in the Clouds" tells the story of a teacher from the lowlands assigned to teach in the mountains, depicting the arduous lives of students in the highlands.
Vietnam's Truong Sa Islands provide viewers with an overview of the formation of the archipelago.
The Spratly Islands play a significant role in the country's development history, affirming sacred sovereignty and the determination to build and protect the islands – an inseparable part of the nation. My Son – a heritage site – speaks of the formation and development of Cham culture within the flow of Vietnamese culture. The violin music at My Lai speaks of the My Lai massacre as a prayer for the victims.
Introducing young filmmakers from Southeast Asia.
Besides Vietnamese and European films, there will be a special screening featuring films by young filmmakers from Southeast Asian countries: Beauty and Rhythm from Cambodia, Day After Day by Nguyen Thi Thanh Mai and When I Lie Dying by Nguyen Phuong Anh from Vietnam, Roots from Indonesia, Ida's Choice from Malaysia, Lady of the Rivers and Lakes from Myanmar, Echoes of the Mountains from Thailand and When 14 Minutes Is a Lifetime from Laos. Several filmmakers will also come to Vietnam at the invitation of the Goethe Institute to present their films and discuss them with the audience. In addition, French film producer Frédéric Violeau and Indonesian filmmaker Amelia Hapsari will be present at the screenings on May 13th in Hanoi and May 14th in Ho Chi Minh City to introduce two documentary film networks: Lumière du Monde – EurasiaDoc and DocNet SEA “Dare to Dream”.
Workshops with directors Arne Birkenstock and Shirley Berkewitz
During the documentary film festival, there will also be two workshops organized by the Goethe Institute and the Israeli Embassy in collaboration with Hoa Sen University:
From June 9th to 13th, there will be a script development workshop with German filmmaker Arne Birkenstock, in collaboration with Hanoi DOCLAB. Hanoi DOCLAB is a documentary film center located within the Goethe Institute. By providing equipment, organizing workshops, and screening films, Hanoi DOCLAB aims to support young documentary filmmakers in Hanoi.
On June 12th in Ho Chi Minh City, there will be a workshop with Israeli filmmaker Shirley Berkowitz for students of Hoa Sen University, where she will introduce the production process of her film, "The Good Child."
Admission is free.
