The first edition of Vietnam’s Ho Chi Minh International Film Festival (HIFF, April 6-13) incorporated the existing Autumn Meeting industry platform, founded in 2013 by producer Tran Thi Bich Ngoc and director Phan Dang Di.
Autumn Meeting presented 15 projects divided into arthouse and entertainment categories (see full list below). HIFF also selected ten Vietnamese projects for the first edition of the Viet Script Lab, mentored by filmmakers Charles Nguyen and Phan Gia Nhat Linh.
HIFF PROJECT MARKET 2024:
ARTHOUSE PROJECTS:
Agarmoon (Vietnam)
Dir: Le Can Truong
Prod: Tran Thuy Dac Khue
Bubble Era (Vietnam)
Dir: Vu Minh Nghia
Prod: Nguyen Trung Nghia
Homework (Malaysia)
Dir: Jacky Yeap
Prod: Edward Lim
I’ll Smile In September (India)
Dir: Aakash Chhabra
Prods: Snigdha Sharma, Sanjay Gulati
Imah – The Last Time I Saw Your Face (Indonesia)
Dir/Prod: Eddie Cahyono
Co-prods: Isabelle Glachant, Rio Pasaribu, Hizkia Nararya, Li Xiaorong
Other People’s Dreams (Singapore)
Dir: Daniel Hui
Prods: Sophia Sim, Tan Si En
Ria (Philippines)
Dir: Arvin Kadiboy Belarmino
Prods: Kristine De Leon, Alemberg Ang
ENTERTAINMENT PROJECTS:
Fake Truth (Vietnam)
Dir: Nguyen Viet Anh
Prod: Ngo Mai Phuong
The Great Lives Of My Father (Vietnam)
Dir: Vuong Huu Danh
Prods: Vo Thi Phuong Linh, Thao Nguyen, Nguyen Phan Nguyet Minh
Green Valley And The Amber Marbles (Vietnam)
Dir/Prod: Vu Nguyen Nam Khue
Co-prods: Pham Minh Hang, Thanh Tran
The Heirloom (Vietnam)
Dir: Le Hoang
Prod: Thanh Tran
Co-Prod: Nguyen Thi Xuan Trang
The Heirlooms (Indonesia)
Dir: Devina Sofiyanti
Prod: Beta Giovanni Rahmadeva
IG Rock (Malaysia)
Dir: Khairi Anwar
Prod: Anwar Hadi, Lina Tan
Oh My Oppa (Korea)
Dir: Park Gyu-tae
Prod: Kim Hyo-jeong
Parasomnia (Indonesia)
Dir: Rafki Hidayat
Prod: Kevin Rahardjo
VIET SCRIPT LAB 2024:
TV SERIES:
Crazy Idols
Screenwriter: Stefanie Vo
A young psychiatrist manages a counselling room serving clients who are celebrities struggling with sobriety and mental disorders.
Mom’s Cooking
Screenwriter: Quan Phuong Thanh
Four women fleeing the city, coincidentally meet in a small town. Here, they start a business together with a restaurant that has no menu.
Rent-An-Ear
Screenwriter: Tra Nguyen
Customers can rent people to listen to them talk – things they may not want or be able to share with their closest friends. The hired individuals don’t engage in conversation; they just listen.
The Secret Of Paradise Island
Screenwriter: Nguyen Hoang Hai
A girl starts a new life with her husband on a dreamy island, only to discover on their first day there that her husband has died.
Son Of The King
Screenwriter: Phat Nguyen
The story is inspired by the abdication of King Tự Đức of the Nguyễn Dynasty, who couldn’t produce an offspring and passed the throne to his nephew.
FEATURE FILMS:
Dear Buffalo
Screenwriter: Ha Lan Do
A young girl tries to save her beloved buffalo from being sold for meat. However, the buffalo is also the only hope for her father to repay his debt.
The Queen
Screenwriter: Phat Nguyen
Desiring revenge at all costs, Tấm returns to the palace, usurps the position of the Queen, and eliminates all enemies, only to realize that her soul has gradually deteriorated throughout the journey.
Pride
Screenwriter: Quan Lam Vu
A badminton player joins a camp to earn sponsorship but becomes trapped in a devious scheme by his ex-coach – also the one who sexually abused him.
The Story Called Faith
Screenwriter: Phuong Anh Dang
A daughter investigates the death of her devout father despite the police concluding that he committed suicide. Through her investigation, she discovers that her father was murdered by a ghost.
Under The Eagle’s Wing
Screenwriter: Hoang Yen
A prince who despises his betrothed must clear the name of his minister from the charge of rebellion against the previous dynasty before he is executed by the emperor.