Society - Culture

Best films were honoured at DANAFF III, celebrating power of Asian cinema

Translated by ANH THU Jul 06, 2025 20:03

The best films were honoured at the closing ceremony of the Da Nang Asian Film Festival 2025 (DANAFF III), with a spotlight on ‘Chi Dau’ (The Real Sister) in the Vietnamese film section and ‘Deal at the Border’ honoured as the Best Asian Film.

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Vice Chairwoman of the Da Nang People’s Committe Nguyen Thi Anh Thi delivers the closing speech. Photo: DOAN HAO LUONG

DANAFF III has recently officially concluded with a vibrant closing and awards ceremony at the Ariyana International Convention Center. Co-hosted by the Da Nang People’s Committee and the Viet Nam Film Development Association (VFDA), the event marked a successful week celebrating the diversity and vitality of Asian cinema. In her closing remarks, Vice Chairwoman of Da Nang People's Committee Nguyen Thi Anh Thi called the festival “a proud cultural highlight for the city and a bridge connecting cinematic voices across Asia.” Over seven days, more than 100 films from across the region were screened at nearly 200 showings, attracting thousands of movie lovers.

In the Asian Filmssection, the Kyrgyzstani film ‘Deal at the Border’ won the top award, the Grand Prize for Best Film. Inspired by real events from the childhood of the scriptwriter and director’s brother, Aktan Ryskeldiev, the film tells a story of two drug couriers Aza and Samat, who encounter Nazik, a girl who escaped from slavery and is hiding from her pursuers.

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Member of the Party Central Committee, Deputy Prime Minister Mai Van Chinh (right) presents the award for Best Asian Film to the representative of the film crew of ‘Deal at the Border’ Photo: DOAN HAO LUONG

The Special Prize of the Jury belonged to ‘Mua Tren Canh Buom (Don’t Cry, Butterfly), directed by emerging Vietnamese filmmaker Duong Dieu Linh.

Guan Hu was voted the Best Asian Director with his work Black Dog.

The Best Screenplay Award of the Asian Film Section was awarded to ‘Muddy Foot’ by Ladan Shirmard, Ebrahim Azizi from Iran.

Nurzhan Beksultanova in the Kazakhstan film Abel won the Best Leading Actress Award and Kang-sheng Lee in the film Stranger Eyes from Singapore and Taiwan (China) received the Best Leading Actor Award.

‘Chi Dau’ (The Real Sister) won the Grand Prize for Best Film at the Vietnamese Films Section, and its screenwriters, Pham Thi Thanh Thu, Nguyen Pham Hoang Quan and Tran Huu Tan, also received the Best Screenplay Award.

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Party Central Committee member, Secretary of the Da Nang Party Committee Nguyen Van Quang (left) presented the award for Best Vietnamese Film to the film crew of ‘The Real Sister’. Photo: DOAN HAO LUONG

The Special Prize of the Jury belonged to the animation film ‘Trang Quynh Nhi: Truyen thuyet ve Kim Nguu’ (Legend of the Golden Buffalo).

Victor Vũ was honoured as the Best Director for the film Thám Tử Kiên: Kỳ Án Không Đầu (Detective Kiên: The Headless Horror).

Actor Tuan Tran won the Best Leading Actor Award with the film ‘Lam Giau với Ma (Betting with Ghost).

The NETPAC Award for the Outstanding Vietnamese Film decided and selected by the NETPAC Jury from the Vietnamese Film Contests was also awarded to the film Chị Dâu.The Audience’s Choice Award for Favourite Vietnamese Film, voted by the audience participating in the screenings of 'Today’s Vietnamese Cinema' programme, was for ‘De Men: Cuoc phieu luu tới Xom Lay Loi’ (The Cricket’s Adventure to the Muddy Village).

The Critics' Award for the most outstanding film in the Asian Cinema Panorama section was awarded to the film Sunday from Uzbekistan.

This year’s expanded edition featured thematic showcases including 50 Years of Vietnamese War-themed Films, Korean Cinema Focus, and Panorama of Asian & Vietnamese Films. Audiences enjoyed not only screenings but also lively discussions with filmmakers, actors and critics.

Three international workshops spotlighted key topics such as nurturing young talents, lessons from South Korean cinema's success, and the legacy of Vietnamese war-themed films. The DANAFF Talents programme also left a mark with 52 emerging actors, 14 project incubators and master classes led by global experts.

Translated by ANH THU