Ho Chi Minh City received support from Cannes, the UNESCO representative in Vietnam, as well as numerous filmmakers and experts in its application for membership in the UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN) in the field of cinema.

Officials are working on the application dossier to submit it to UNESCO on March 3, the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Culture and Sports announced at an event in Ho Chi Minh City on Saturday. 

If approved, Ho Chi Minh City will become the first UCCN cinema city in Vietnam and Southeast Asia.

In a pre-recorded video, Maud Boissac, the cultural affairs director of the City of Cannes, expressed Cannes’ support for Ho Chi Minh City’s application. 

She shared Cannes’ experience as a small city with a population of 75,000 but significant international influence, largely due to the world-renowned Cannes Film Festival.

Boissac proudly noted that Cannes is considered the cinema capital of the world, attracting thousands of experts and filmmakers each year, committed to developing cinema in all its forms.

She also highlighted the Cannes Film Festival’s award of the Camera d’Or for the best first feature film to 'Inside the Yellow Cocoon Shell' by Vietnamese director Pham Thien An in 2023, sending her compliments on the remarkable development of Vietnamese cinema.

In another video, Johnathan Baker, UNESCO representative and head of office in Vietnam, emphasized that Ho Chi Minh City’s application must engage various stakeholders, particularly through cooperation at both local and international levels. 

He wished the city success in its candidacy.

Regarding the growth of Vietnamese cinema, Bui Quang Minh, chairman of Beta Group, which operates cinema chains across Vietnam, mentioned that Ho Chi Minh City’s film market could reach VND10 trillion (US$393.8 million) in revenue, with 2024’s revenue already at VND4.7 trillion ($185 million). 

He also pointed out the dominance of Vietnamese films in the market.

In addition to revenue growth, the issue of identity in Vietnamese and Ho Chi Minh City cinema was discussed.

Tran The Thuan, director of the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Culture and Sports, expressed confidence that the city deserves a place in the UCCN. 

He acknowledged 12 new initiatives to support the film industry and stated that the city would continue refining the dossier to strengthen its case.

US$39.4 million film studio

At the event, the need for national or internationally standard film studios in Ho Chi Minh City was also a key topic. 

Do Quoc Viet, deputy director of the Department of Cinema under the Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism, revealed that the ministry is planning a national film studio project for 2025, with an expected investment of nearly VND1 trillion ($39.4 million). 

Viet, who is responsible for the project, emphasized the importance of large film studios for sustainable cinema development, particularly for historical and war resistance films.

In Ho Chi Minh City, the demand for a large-scale film studio is also growing. 

Nguyen Thi Thanh Thuy, deputy director of the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Culture and Sports, stated that the city could utilize an area of approximately 324 hectares in Thu Duc City for producing historical and cultural films, while also working toward establishing an international-standard film studio.

In the short term, the city will include the expansion of Cu Chi Film Studio, located in Cu Chi District, in the UCCN application dossier. 

Currently managed by Ho Chi Minh City Television, discussions are underway to further develop the Cu Chi studio.

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