Hanoi (VNA) – Vietnam is poised to make a strong impression at the Annecy International Animation Film Festival, the world’s longest-running and most prestigious event dedicated to animation. The team will benefit from financial support and warm welcome from the French Embassy in Vietnam.
The French Embassy, in collaboration with the Vietnam Digital Content Creation Alliance (DCCA) and leading Vietnamese animation studios, hosted a press briefing in Hanoi on February 21 to outline a strategic Vietnam-France animation film development plan.
The initiative paves the way for Vietnam to introduce its animation industry on the global stage, particularly at the Annecy Festival in France. Founded in 1960, Annecy is the world’s first international animation film festival and remains one of the most prestigious events in the film industry.
Showcasing "Made in Vietnam" animation on international platform
Speaking at the event, Sophie Maysonnave, Counselor for Cooperation and Culture at the French Embassy in Vietnam, praised Vietnam’s rapid progress in cultural industries, particularly in animation and visual effects. She emphasised that France, as part of its cultural cooperation efforts, will provide substantial support for Vietnam’s participation at Annecy.
“Vietnamese animation has the potential to make a significant contribution to the national economy,” Maysonnave noted, adding that a Vietnam Animation and VFX booth at Annecy will not only showcase the country’s artistic and technical expertise but also highlight business opportunities and development policies. To support this, the French Embassy will cover 50% of the booth’s costs.
Maysonnave also announced that the embassy has facilitated a collaboration with the Gobelins School of the Image in Paris to offer four short-term animation courses for young Vietnamese talents.
“Annecy has been our dream,” shared People's Artist Minh Tri speaking on behalf of his peers and the second-generation animators at the Vietnam Animation Studio. "More than 20 years ago, we could only admire the festival from afar. Our generation saw Annecy as a distant echo, a source of encouragement, at a time when connections beyond the socialist bloc were limited. I hope this cooperation between Vietnam and France will open new doors for the growth of Vietnamese animation,” said the artist.
The event will also serve as a platform for various animation studios to introduce their upcoming feature films, set for theatrical release in 2025. Notable titles include Zombie Mat Lac (Cross-Eyed Zombie) by Colory Animation Studio, the stop-motion film Chien Binh Gom - Blank Blank (Ceramic Warrior - Blank Blank), Wolfoo va Cuoc dua Tam Gioi (Wolfoo and The Three Realms Race) by Sconnect Studio, and Truyen thuyet Kim Nguu (The Legend of the Golden Buffalo) by Alpha Animation Studio.
According to Director and Meritorious Artist Trinh Lam Tung, who helms The Legend of the Golden Buffalo, producing an animated film typically takes four to five years and requires significant investment in both manpower and resources.
“The time and effort needed for animation are immense. A live-action film can take just a year and a half to two years to complete, or even a few months in some cases. But animation can achieve what other genres cannot, thanks to its boundless expressiveness. Whatever the human imagination can conceive, animation can bring to life with near-perfect accuracy. That is its true power,” Tung noted.
Beyond cinematic success, well-crafted animated films with strong audience appeal can generate substantial revenue through character merchandise and spin-off products.
Over the years, Vietnam’s animation workforce has improved significantly in skill and expertise. However, the industry is still primarily recognised as a production hub, often subcontracting work for major global projects. To address this, the Vietnam Association of Visual Effects & Animation (VAVA) has been established, aiming to elevate the country’s industry to new heights.
At the event, the VAVA representative said that the association seeks to build a collaborative ecosystem among Vietnamese animation studios, fostering joint projects based on original domestic intellectual properties (IPs). Additionally, VAVA aims to nurture young talent, promote international cooperation, and position Vietnam as a global creative hub for visual effects and animation./.
