Vietnamese cinema expands presence at Busan International Film Festival

Vietnamese cinema is making a significant presence at the 2026 Busan International Film Festival (BIFF), with five films participating across four different categories. This marks a notable increase in representation compared to previous years.

In the Vision - Asia competition category, director Nguyễn Hoàng Điệp’s psychological drama ‘1982’ will compete against works from Japan, India, Thailand, and Kazakhstan. The film follows a female director’s journey to find her mother and uncover family secrets.

Other notable entries include ‘Hearing’ by director Lê Bảo and the historical action film ‘Hộ linh tráng sĩ: Bí ẩn mộ vua Đinh’ by Nguyễn Phan Quang Bình, both featured in the ‘A Window on Asian Cinema’ program. Additionally, the documentary ‘Em bé đồng bóng, em bé ngạo nghễ và em bé đau lòng’ by Nông Nhật Quang is part of the ‘Wide Angle - Documentary’ section.

Director Hàm Trần’s horror film ‘Sợi chỉ đỏ’ (The Red Thread) has been selected for the ‘Midnight Passion’ category, which focuses on horror, thriller, and action genres. The film utilizes East Asian cultural motifs regarding fate and mysterious connections to drive its narrative.