On the evening of December 5, in Paris (early morning of December 6 in Vietnam), the Opening Ceremony of the Week “Vietnamese Cinema – Journey of Light” (Vietnam Cinéma – Itinéraire de Lumière) took place at Le Grand Rex – the largest cinema in Europe and a cultural symbol of the French capital.
The event was co-organized by the Vietnam Film Development Promotion Association (VFDA) and AVSE Global, under the patronage of the Embassy of Vietnam in France.
Attending the opening ceremony were Mr. Đinh Toàn Thắng, Ambassador of Vietnam to France; Ms. Nguyễn Thị Vân Anh, Ambassador and Head of the Vietnamese Delegation to UNESCO; Dr. Ngô Phương Lan, President of the Vietnam Film Development Promotion Association (VFDA); Major General Đỗ Triệu Phong, Director of the Department of Communications of the People’s Public Security; Prof. Nguyễn Đức Khương, Executive Director of EMLV Business School (France), President of AVSE Global; together with representatives of governmental bodies, numerous directors, film producers, renowned artists, and domestic and international press and media agencies.
Representatives of the Organizing Committee of “Vietnamese Cinema Week – Journey of Light” – Ambassador Đinh Toàn Thắng and VFDA President Ngô Phương Lan.
The event attracted more than 2,700 audience members from 23 countries, creating a vibrant cultural and artistic exchange space among the French public, the Vietnamese community, and lovers of Vietnamese cinema across Europe. Around 200 volunteers from various countries accompanied and supported the organization, contributing to a spirit of connection and to the strong dissemination of Vietnamese cultural values.
Ambassador Đinh Toàn Thắng, Ambassador of Vietnam to France, stated: “The Vietnamese Cinema Week in Paris is a very large, very important, and meaningful event for Vietnamese culture, Vietnamese art, and Vietnamese cinema, highly appreciated by the French public as well as French media. We hope this will be an unforgettable milestone in the journey of Vietnamese cinema, as well as in Vietnam–France exchange in cinema and cultural–artistic cooperation in general.”
Speaking at the ceremony, Dr. Ngô Phương Lan shared: This Vietnamese Cinema Week in Paris is a major Vietnamese cinema event, held in the City of Light – Paris, at the time Vietnam celebrates the 50th anniversary of national reunification and the 80th anniversary of the National Day of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam. The event takes place in December, when the world commemorates the 130th anniversary of the Lumière brothers’ creation of cinema – an art form that has contributed to changing human history and enriching the inner world and life itself.
The film crew of Indochine – the film shot in Vietnam that won the 1992 Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film.
According to Dr. Ngô Phương Lan, the Vietnamese Cinema Week in Paris is like a miniature film festival, with a formal opening ceremony, screenings introducing outstanding Vietnamese films from the past half-century, exchanges with directors and artists, and seminars on Vietnam–France cooperation in film production and cinema training. And the special “gift” brought to Paris by the Organizing Committee consists of Vietnam’s “classic” films, artistic works that have succeeded at many film festivals, and two Vietnamese “blockbusters” that created a sensation and attracted tens of millions of viewers in September and October 2025 in Vietnam, now having their first international screenings: Dogfight in the Sky (“Tử chiến trên không”) and Red Rain (“Mưa đỏ”).
The event opened with a unique “symphony” told through cinema and music, taking the audience on an emotional journey through the history of Vietnamese cinema. Familiar melodies from The Floating Lives (“Cánh đồng bất tận”) and The Legend of Quan Tien (“Truyền thuyết quán Tiên”) resonated within the magnificent space of the Grand Rex, evoking unforgettable hallmarks of Vietnamese art. A highlight was the performance of “Sous le Ciel de Paris” through the cello of artist Đinh Hoài Xuân, harmonizing with the string orchestra of the Paris Symphony Orchestra, creating a moment of refined and profound artistry. The immortal song “La vie en rose,” an emblem of love and happiness associated with Édith Piaf since 1945, was performed with deep emotion by diva Hồng Nhung, becoming a sublime moment of the program.
Cellist Đinh Hoài Xuân and the Orchestre national de France perform during the mini-concert prior to the screening of the film Dogfight in the Sky (“Tử chiến trên không”).
“Dogfight in the Sky” creates a special impression on the French audience
The highlight of the opening night was the premiere of Dogfight in the Sky, produced by the People’s Public Security Cinema. Before the screening, audiences also had the opportunity to visit a photo exhibition showcasing the panorama of Vietnamese cinema, displayed with dignity in the theater lobby, offering a multidimensional view of the history and development of the seventh art in Vietnam.
Sharing his thoughts about Dogfight in the Sky in particular and Vietnamese cinema in general, director and actor Stéphan Lý Cường said: “I am truly impressed. I didn’t know this story at all and I really liked the way the actors portrayed it. I have always admired Kaity Nguyễn and Thái Hoà. This time, they surprised me once again. Vietnamese cinema is developing strongly. I believe that Vietnamese cinema absolutely has the potential to cross borders and reach international audiences.”
Major General Đỗ Triệu Phong, Director of the Department of Communications of the People’s Public Security, together with the film crew of Dogfight in the Sky (“Tử chiến trên không”) at the opening screening of the “Vietnam Cinema – Itinerary of Light” Week.
Speaking about the program, Merited Artist Lê Vi shared: “For me, this is an incredibly meaningful event. Each historical period of Vietnam – from wartime, peacetime to the era of international integration – has been closely associated with the transformation of the seventh art. I believe that this cultural exchange program will open new opportunities, helping Vietnamese cinema keep pace with global development.”
Linh Đan Phạm, the star who appeared in the classic film Indochine – and who was recently honored with the prestigious César Award in France – also stated that Vietnamese cinema has come a very long way and now possesses an astonishing diversity, from commercial films to art-house cinema. The actress expressed her admiration for the scale of the program and affirmed that “it is wonderful to have events like this to bring Vietnamese cinema closer to international audiences.”
More than 2,000 seats at the Grand Rex were filled during the opening night of the “Vietnam Cinema – Itinerary of Light” Week.
Director Kim Chapiron, one of the prominent figures of contemporary French cinema, shared his heartfelt impressions: “I am very eager to explore more Vietnamese directors and actors, and to deepen my curiosity about Vietnamese culture. I believe that Vietnamese cinema absolutely deserves a worthy place in France, as the Vietnamese community here is very large. And just as many generations of Vietnamese have come to live in France, we hope to see more and more Vietnamese films screened here.”
The opening ceremony of the “Vietnam Cinema Week in Paris” marked the beginning of the cultural events series “Vietnam – Symphony of Love”, initiated by AVSE Global, aimed at promoting Vietnamese culture to the world through creative, unique, and profoundly expressive forms.
The “Vietnam Cinema – Itinerary of Light” Week will continue until December 12, and is expected to welcome around 5,000 visitors with 17 notable Vietnamese films being screened: “When the Tenth Month Comes,” “The Abandoned Field,” “The Apartment Building,” “The Retired General,” “Don’t Be Afraid, Bi!,” “Children of the Mist,” “A Fragile Flower in the Wind,” “Yellow Flowers on the Green Grass,” “Rain on the Butterfly Wings,” “The Brilliant Ashes,” “Be Awake and Ready,” “Cloudy but No Rain,” “Somewhere Near the Hospital,” “Elephants in the Distance,” “Song Lang,” “Red Rain,” and “Dogfight in the Sky.” In addition to film screenings, the Vietnam Cinema Week in Paris also features a panoramic photography exhibition on Vietnamese cinema; audience interactions and discussions with young filmmakers; as well as a seminar on fostering Vietnam–France cooperation in film production.
Author: HÀ HOA
Source: https://cand.com.vn/Chuyen-dong-van-hoa/khai-mac-tuan-le-dien-anh-viet-nam-hanh-trinh-anh-sang-tai-phap-i790280/