The year 2025 is regarded as a pivotal milestone for Vietnamese cinema in box-office, marked by a series of major events, works, and international exchange activities by the Vietnam Film Development Association
The year 2025 is regarded as a pivotal milestone for Vietnamese cinema, marked by a series of major events, works, and international exchange activities that have shaped a comprehensive development landscape, affirming the increasingly prominent role of cinema in building Vietnam’s cultural industries. Vietnamese cinema in 2025 not only recorded growth in market scale, but also demonstrated maturity in artistic thinking, production models, and international integration strategies.
The film “Mưa đỏ” (Red Rain) created an unprecedented phenomenon by setting a box-office record of over VND 700 billion, becoming the highest-grossing film in the history of Vietnamese cinema. Its success confirmed that Vietnamese audiences are ready to embrace and support domestic films when they are produced with professionalism and serious investment, while also providing a strong impetus for the creative market, improving production quality, and attracting growing levels of social investment into the film sector.
Expanding Regional and International Integration
Alongside the recovery of the domestic market, Vietnamese cinema in 2025 significantly expanded its regional and international integration. The 3rd Da Nang Asian Film Festival (DANAFF III), held from June 29 to July 5 under the theme “DANAFF – Bridging Asia” and organized by the Vietnam Film Development Association (VFDA), recorded remarkable progress in scale, duration, and program quality.
DANAFF III not only expanded its competition sections, project market, and cooperation forums, but also became a key meeting point for filmmakers across the region, contributing to Viet Nam’s integration into the dynamic Asian film production and distribution network. Looking ahead, the 4th Da Nang Asian Film Festival (DANAFF IV) is scheduled to take place from June 28 to July 4, 2026, under the slogan “DANAFF – Bridging Asia to the World.” In 2026, DANAFF is expected to attract approximately 900 delegates, artists, filmmakers, and experts, including around 200 international guests.
International Highlights
At the international level, a major highlight of 2025 was the Vietnamese Film Week in Paris, held from December 5 to 12, 2025, where 17 Vietnamese films of various genres were, for the first time, systematically presented to French audiences and international friends. The event attracted more than 6,000 attendees from over 20 countries, accompanied by numerous exchange activities, professional seminars, and cooperation networking opportunities.
The warm reception from audiences and international film professionals helped affirm the position, identity, and competitive potential of Vietnamese cinema on the global cinematic map. In addition, VFDA organized a series of Vietnamese cineam promotion activities within major international film festivals, including Cannes, Busan, and Tokyo.
Outlook for 2026
Building on the achievements of 2025, Vietnamese cinema enters 2026 with strong prospects for accelerated growth. The domestic market is being energized by box-office successes and greater genre diversity; the production–distribution ecosystem is becoming more complete with deeper participation from the private sector; and international cooperation continues to expand through film festivals, film weeks, and co-production programs.
If this momentum is sustained, 2026 is expected to mark a significant breakthrough, bringing Vietnamese cinema closer to its goal of becoming a priority cultural industry, making tangible contributions to creative economic growth and the promotion of Viet Nam’s national image in the context of international integration.
