DANAFF's journey to the public

Taking public to the cinema

International film festivals always face difficult problems. If they focus too much on technical aspects, the films may become unfamiliar to the public. If they only cater to market trends, the film festival will struggle to create its own unique value.

DANAFF's film screening programme demonstrates a balanced approach between these two requirements, focusing on films that are interesting today and films that have become milestones in the history of the world and Vietnamese cinema.

This year, in "Focus on US cinema" programme, the films such as "City Lights", "Casablanca", "The Godfather", "Saving Private Ryan", "No Country for The Old Men",… are famous films that have appeared several times in the world's prestigious film rankings. They represent different periods of American film history, from the classic studio system to the auteur film era and modern Hollywood.

Meanwhile, the programme "40 Years of Vietnamese Cinema after 40 Years of Doi Moi" opens up a different journey. From "A Quiet Little Town", "Thang Bom", "Retired General", "Traveling Circus", to "The Buffalo's Boy", "Bloodline", "Adrift," "Bi, Don't Be Afraid!", "Endless Fields," audiences can see the changes in creative thinking, perspectives on reality, and the development of Vietnamese cinema over the past four decades.

Alongside is the "Vietnamese Cinema Today" programme, where the public can access the latest works of domestic cinema. When placed side by side, those films are no longer isolated works but form a larger story: the story of where cinema has been and where it is going on.

The films that are famous or have a steady standing test of time are a good starting point for attracting viewers to film festivals, helping to bridge the gap between art cinema and the public and between a professional cultural event and the viewing needs of the general audience.

Perhaps the greater value of a film festival lies not in confirming existing tastes but in its ability to open up new experiences for viewers. That is also the exciting challenge that DANAFF is gradually facing as it increasingly becomes a cinematic event for the city, for the public, and for cinephiles.

Building a bigger community of cinephiles

In fact, a film festival plays an important role in choosing which films to screen for free and where those films will lead the public. While commercial cinema caters to the entertainment needs of the market, a film festival attracts audiences and opens up new avenues for the public to access cinema.

That's why many major film festivals around the world maintain a balance between films with broad appeal and those that are exploratory, experimental, or artistic. While familiar films help audiences enter theaters, new and innovative films broaden the audience's cinematic experience.

Therefore, the value of a film festival lies not only in the screenings but also in accompanying activities, including conversations, film classes, public forums, workshops, and regularly active cinephile communities. Cinema becomes not only a product consumed but also a space for cultural dialogue.

From this perspective, what is noteworthy about DANAFF is not just the number of films screened or the ever-expanding scale of the film festival. Its greater value lies in the fact that DANAFF is gradually contributing to the formation of a cinematic environment for Da Nang City.

A film festival takes place in a week, but the audience needs to be nurtured year-round. If that happens, DANAFF not only brings films to Da Nang but also contributes to creating new audiences for the future of Vietnamese cinema.