VN-European Documentary Festival returns

A still from Petit Samedi which will be shown on June 6 at National Documentary and Scientific Film Studio.

HÀ NỘI  A film festival begins tonight showing the best documentaries of recent years from Việt Nam and Europe at the National Documentary and Scientific Film Studio in Hà Nội. 

The 12th European-Vietnamese Documentary Film Festival has been successfully engaging local audiences with fascinating documentaries for more than ten years. 

Back after a year postponement because of COVID-19, the festival features work from 11 countries: Austria, Wallonia-Brussels Federation, France, Italy, Germany, Israel, Spain, Switzerland, the Czech Republic, the UK, and the host country. 

“The films being showcased at this year are works of the highest aesthetic value, imbued with the culture of each participating countries and displaying the trademark of each director,” said Nguyễn Quang Tuấn, president of the studio. 

During ten days, the audience will have opportunity to watch a rich programme of documentaries, with many of them have been awarded international prizes. 

The film selection covers a great diversity of themes such as life of people leaving their countryside, climate change, racism or popular artists. 

Two films, My Way (Germany) and Petit Samedi (Wallonia-Brussels Federation) are highlights of the festival. My Way is about composer Helmut Lachenmann who has been influencing contemporary music worldwide for more than 50 years. 

The film brings the audience closer to the music and the man character. Viewers will be immersed in the thoughts and adventures of this extraordinary artist’s creative work — at a stage in his life where the ending becomes increasingly tangible. 

The 90-minute film was made in 2020 by director Wiebke Popel and won Best Film at Dock of the Bay in San Sebastian. It will be shown at 7.45pm on June 5 with English and Vietnamese subtitles. 

Directed by Paloma Sermon-Dai in 2020, Petit Samedi won several awards including  Magritte Awards 2022 and Grand Prix at Premiers Plans Film Festival 2021.

It tells the story of a mother and her heroin-addicted adult son in the Wallonian hinterland. Petit Samedi creates a portrait of dependence, intertwining roles of individual, family and social co-existence without offering any easy answers.

It is the first feature-length documentary by director Sermon-Dai. Selected in the Forum line-up of the 70th Berlinale, it is as much a filmmaker’s effort as a home movie. The director is younger sister of the main character. 

It will be shown on June 6 at 7.35pm with Vietnamese subtitles.  

Each night will show one Vietnamese documentary followed by a European film. The Vietnamese films include Unlimited Battle, Reviving Lands, Two Hands and Vietnamese Tea Talk made by veteran directors. 

Unlimited Battle by Vietnamese Meritorious Artist Nguyễn Quang Tuấn and Nguyễn Anh Ngọc depicts images of dedicated front-line forces against the COVID-19 pandemic.

It will begin at 7pm with English subtitles. The festival is co-held by EU National Institutes for Culture and the film studio with free entrances. VNS