Five Vietnamese films are part of the 31st Busan International Film Festival programme, VnExpress reported on 5 September. The selection spans historical drama, independent fiction, horror and documentary, with the films entering sections that serve different purposes.
Different routes for feature films
Nguyen Phan Quang Binh’s Ho linh trang si and Le Bao’s Hearing are in A Window on Asian Cinema, a non-competitive showcase. Ho linh trang si reached Vietnamese cinemas around National Day, while Hearing follows a man who installs noise-measuring equipment and his family relationships.
Nguyen Hoang Diep’s 1982 is selected for Vision-Asia, the competition for independent Asian cinema. Its central character, played by Do Thi Hai Yen, is a filmmaker facing a creative impasse and a personal crisis.
Ham Tran’s Red Thread appears in Midnight Passion, the section for horror, suspense and thrillers. Those distinctions matter: being selected for a showcase and entering a competition are different forms of festival participation.
A place for documentary
Nong Nhat Quang’s Baby Jackfruit Baby Guava is part of Wide Angle: Documentary Showcase. Its inclusion adds a documentary perspective alongside the narrative features, making the Vietnamese presence broader than a single genre or style.
The announced festival dates are 6–15 October. For viewers following these films, the next practical details are individual screening times and the filmmakers’ activities in Busan. Award results come later, after the festival and judging process.