Hanoi (VNA) – The fourth Da Nang Asian Film Festival (DANAFF IV) 2026 will feature significant changes in both scale and content as it expands beyond a regional film event into a broader platform for professional exchange, training and international cooperation.
Scheduled to take place in the central city of Da Nang from June 28 to July 4, DANAFF IV carries the message “A Bridge from Asia to the World” replacing the theme “Asian Bridge” used during the previous three editions. The new theme reflects the festival’s ambition to broaden its reach and international influence.
The festival is expected to bring together around 900 artists, producers and film professionals from Vietnam and abroad, including more than 200 international guests. This marks the largest edition since DANAFF was first launched in 2023, highlighting its growing appeal within the film industry.
One of the major additions this year is the Film Industry Forum, which will be organised for the first time as an official part of the festival. The forum will provide a venue for professional exchanges, co-production opportunities and discussions on emerging trends in the film sector.
Alongside established programmes such as DANAFF Talents and the Script Lab training course, the festival continues to focus on talent development and industry networking. The DANAFF Talents project incubator will expand with the participation of international experts in production, screenwriting, directing and project development, creating new opportunities for young filmmakers across the region.
Another highlight is the programme “Vietnamese Cinema: 40 Years of Doi Moi,” featuring 17 acclaimed films that recall key milestones in the development of Vietnamese cinema since 1986 while offering insights into the industry's integration and future direction.
According to organisers, DANAFF IV will welcome several prominent figures from regional and global cinema. Renowned Hong Kong director Johnnie To will serve as President of the Asian Film Competition Jury. With more than four decades in the industry, he has previously served on juries at major film festivals, including Cannes, Venice and Berlin.
Joining him will be Julien Rejl, artistic director of the Directors’ Fortnight section at the Cannes Film Festival and Vietnamese director Pham Thien An, whose debut feature Inside the Yellow Cocoon Shell won the Caméra d’Or at Cannes in 2023.
In the training and project-development segment, DANAFF Talents will feature international experts including Jack Lechner, Tony Bui and Anthony Chen.
After three editions, DANAFF is gradually moving beyond the role of a conventional film screening and awards event. Following its brand-building phase, the 2026 festival reflects a stronger focus on sustainable values for Vietnamese cinema through talent training, project support and investment promotion.
Speaking at the launch ceremony, President of the Vietnam Association for Promotion and Development of Cinema and Director of DANAFF Ngo Phuong Lan said the festival is being positioned as a platform connecting the regional film industry while expanding professional, training and production-linkage activities to foster long-term cooperation for Vietnamese cinema./.
