ANAHEIM, California — Whether you gravitate towards Kung Fu, action heroes or evil spirits that possess the dead, this year’s Viet Film Fest lineup is sure to appeal to a range of cinematic tastes.
The 2015 festival, co-sponsored by Wells Fargo, is happening April 16-19 at UltraLuxe Cinemas in the Anaheim Gardenwalk (Anaheim, CA).
The wide array of genres signals a new wave of Vietnamese filmmakers seeking to tell diverse, nuanced stories that move beyond the stereotypes of Vietnamese people and culture in mainstream media.
The nonprofit, Vietnamese American Arts and Letters Association (VAALA) founded Viet Film Fest in order to shine light on Vietnamese voices in cinema. Started back in 2003, Viet Film Fest is now in its 8th edition and is well known to be the springboard for budding Vietnamese filmmakers from around the world.
With a total of 31 films (which includes 10 features and 21 short films) from countries such as Vietnam, Australia, Canada, Japan, Brazil, and the United States, this year’s lineup is notable for its diversity in genre.
Beginning April 16th, the festival will open with the award-winning film, 2030 (Nước), a murder mystery set in a futuristic Vietnam landscape submerged under water due to climate change.
On Friday and Saturday, two Vietnamese horror films are set to scare movie-going audiences late into the night: Hush (Chung Cư Ma) and Hollow (Đoạt Hồn). For those want to spare the nightmares, attendees have a few alternative options those days including the action-packed, gangster film, Rise (Hương Ga). The film was an audience favorite in Vietnam and known for its attractive cast. Audiences who would rather laugh, can watch the Charlie Nguyen-directed, Let Hoi Decide (Để Mai Tính 2), which broke box office records in Vietnam.
To mark the 40th Anniversary of the Fall of Saigon, Viet Film Fest is resurfacing Land of Sorrow (Đất Khổ) as its spotlight feature on Saturday, April 18th. Filmed in 1973, the movie stars famous Vietnamese singer-songwriter, Trinh Cong Son, in his only on-screen debut. The anti-war film is based on the memoir Mourning Headband for Hue and shows a rare glimpse into the effects of the Vietnam War on Hue, a central region in Vietnam. A special book signing and Q&A session by the author of the memoir, Nha Ca, will follow the screening.
The Festival will close on April 19 with Flapping in the Middle of Nowhere (Ðap Cánh Giua Không Trung) by Vietnamese female director, Nguyen Hoang Diep. Diep’s film won Best Film in the 2014 Venice Film Festival, and has made numerous appearances at prestigious international film festivals, including the Busan Film Festival and Toronto International Film Festival. It is a frank, bizarre, but beautifully shot film exploring the life-altering choices of one young woman.
Viet Film Fest will continue its tradition of connecting the community through its free screenings for students and seniors and partnering with various nonprofit organizations. Youth in Motion, VAALA’s film program that inspires youth to find their voices through the camera lens, will also have their films screened during the festival.
Tickets are now available at the Viet Film Fest website and Tu-Quynh Bookstore. For more information about the festival, please visit www.vietfilmfest.com.
VIET FILM FEST DATES & VENUE
When: April 16-19, 2015
Where: UltraLuxe Cinemas at Anaheim Gardenwalk
321 West Katella Ave.
Anaheim, CA 92802
**Parking on 4th floor
**Validate parking in theater
Website: www.vietfilmfest.com