From project markets to Cannes: International co-production drives Vietnam’s new cinema wave

It empowers independent filmmakers from Vietnam to produce internationally acclaimed works on the world’s most prestigious festival stages.

Rise of co-production model

Following the international acclaim of works such as “Inside the Yellow Cocoon Shell” (Pham Thien An), “Cu Li Never Cries” (Pham Ngoc Lan), “Viet and Nam” (Truong Minh Quy), and most recently the short film “Before the Sea Forgets” by Da Nang-based filmmaker Duy Le at Cannes’ Directors’ Fortnight 2025, a clear pattern has emerged: international co-production is becoming a cornerstone of Vietnamese independent cinema.

For years, international collaboration in Vietnam largely revolved around training programmes and workshops. Today, however, co-production has evolved into a strategic model enabling filmmakers to finance and realize ambitious.

Vietnamese independent directors frequently travel with their short and feature film projects to global festivals, project markets and development labs to seek backing from international film funds and overseas production partners.

Many of Vietnam’s most celebrated recent films share a common trajectory. They were incubated at international project markets and supported by financial and creative contributions from countries such as France, Singapore, the Philippines and Indonesia.

This multinational approach has allowed filmmakers to secure not only funding but also technical expertise and global distribution pathways.

The increasing visibility of Vietnamese titles on the international festival circuit underscores the creative capability of Vietnamese filmmakers.

At the same time, the success of these films rests on a careful balance between global collaboration and local authenticity. According to film critic Nguyen Le, foreign partners have respected the distinctly Vietnamese character of the stories.

Young directors have embraced a universal cinematic language while preserving deeply local narratives, creating works that feel culturally specific yet emotionally accessible to global audiences.

Smaller-scale international initiatives are also playing an important role. Programmes such as the Asian short film competition CinemaShort - a collaboration between Spring Auteurs and CinemaWorld Asia - provide emerging filmmakers with platforms to develop and showcase their work.

These initiatives respond to the urgent need for supportive environments where young directors can confidently refine promising projects.

ASEAN ambitions and global deals

Industry voices are also calling for broader genre diversification. Speaking at a workshop on international collaboration during the 2025 Da Nang Asian Film Festival (DANAFF), South Korean producer Charles Kim suggested that Vietnam must expand into globally marketable genres such as action, thrillers and crime dramas to become a fully developed film industry.

He proposed an “Action Lab School” partnership between Vietnam, South Korea and Hong Kong (China) to professionalize stunt performance and action choreography, laying the groundwork for internationally competitive Vietnamese action films.

To realize the ambition of building a truly internationally integrated film industry, the DANAFF and other regional festivals must evolve into creative hubs rather than remain mere screening platforms.

By consistently hosting project markets, co-production forums and intensive development labs, these events can transform themselves into innovation engines - positioning Vietnam at the center of Asia’s content collaboration map.

International cooperation is the decisive key. It is suggested that Vietnam move beyond bilateral partnerships to develop ASEAN-wide programmes, including joint training initiatives, genre-focused development labs and regional production networks with Malaysia, Thailand and the Philippines.

Through such strategic expansion, Vietnam can position itself as a leading creative hub within the ASEAN region.

Translated by THƯ LÊ