Culture - Sports

Vietnamese documentary among June finalists of Sweden Film Awards

In June, "My Mother" was selected as a finalist in the First Documentary Film category of the Sweden Film Awards.

The poster of the documentary "Me Toi" (My Mother).
The poster of the documentary "Me Toi" (My Mother).

Hanoi (VNA) – The documentary "Me Toi" (My Mother), directed by journalist Viet Van from Lao dong (Labour) newspaper, has been named among the June 2025 finalists of the Sweden Film Awards, according to the event's organisers.

The Sweden Film Awards are the first monthly and annual international film competition in Sweden, accepting entries from around the globe and offering awards in various categories, including documentary, comedy, experimental, and horror films.

Each month, winning films in the main categories are publicly screened and automatically qualify for competition at the Sweden Film Awards' annual festival.

According to the organisers, films are ranked in three tiers: winner, finalist, and semi-finalist. In June, 24 films were named finalists across various categories. "My Mother" was selected as a finalist in the First Documentary Film category.

This 37-minute film, directed and filmed by Viet Van, with Dang Thu Ha as screenwriter and producer, captures the twilight years of Associate Professor Dr. Le Thi Duc Hanh, a 91-year-old mother and literature scholar. Living in a modest and cramped room, her life is filled with simple worries and humble wishes that reflect the deeply human experience of ageing. Through her story, the film explores themes of maternal love and the fragile, uncertain nature of life at an age often described as "a flickering candle in the wind."

Previously, "My Mother" won the Best Short Documentary and Best First-Time Director awards at the Cine Paris Film Festival. It was also selected for screening at the Golden Short Film Festival (Italy) and the First-Time Filmmaker Sessions Volume 5, part of the Lift-Off Film Festival (the UK), where it was streamed on Vimeo for two weeks from May 19 to June 1, 2025./.

VNA
#Vietnamese documentary #Sweden Film Awards #international film competition #My Mother
Follow VietnamPlus

Related News

It took 11 years to bring Dia Dao (The Tunnel) to the big screen. (Photo: tienphong.vn)

Vietnamese war film "The Tunnel" sets single-day box office record

Data from Box Office Vietnam shows that, as of the end of April 7, the film reached around 80 billion VND, becoming one of the highest-grossing historical war films of all time in Vietnam. The film will certainly eclipse the 100 billion VND in the next two days.

See more

The enshrinement ceremony of the Konagamana Buddha Statue at Ba Den Mountain (Photo: Sun Group)

Tay Ninh: Statue of Konagamana Buddha on Ba Den Mountain to welcome pilgrims, visitors from January 1, 2026

Located at the highest point on the summit of Ba Den Mountain, the Konagamana Buddha Statue is cast in red copper and finished with 24k gold gilding. The statue stands 7.2 metres tall, depicting the Buddha seated in full lotus posture on a lotus pedestal set amid Udumbara Lake, shimmering with golden lotus blossoms. The Buddha’s right hand forms a teaching mudra, symbolising the period of preaching in the Buddha’s life, while the left hand holds a fig fruit an image associated with the path to awakening beneath the Udumbara (stands for fig) tree.

The number of foreign visitors to Hanoi in the first 11 months of 2025 rises by around 25% year-on-year (Photo: VNA)

Tourism emerges as bright spot in Vietnam’s socio-economic landscape

With the governmetn's determination, coordinated efforts of sectors, dynamic local implementation and active engagement from businesses, Vietnam's tourism is poised to accelerate, make breakthroughs and grow sustainably, moving toward becoming a a key economic pillar and enhancing the country’s position on the global tourism map

Vietnam national futsal team (Photo: VFF)

Vietnam futsal team gears up for AFC Futsal Asian Cup 2026

The Vietnam futsal team will begin training on January 2, 2026 in Ho Chi Minh City. Under the guidance of Argentine coach Diego Giustozzi, the team will enter a crucial intensive preparation phase with a high training workload, aiming to reach peak form ahead of Asia’s premier futsal tournament.

Sailing teams compete on the Hau River. (Photo: VNA)

Can Tho hosts international standard sailing regatta

The race aims to promote sailing in the city while highlighting Can Tho’s distinctive river-based culture. It also created a vibrant sporting atmosphere, contributing to the development of water-based sports movements and the effective utilisation of the city’s urban waterways, thereby enriching Can Tho’s range of distinctive tourism products.

Winners of 2025 Golden Ball awards Nguyen Thi Bich Thuy, Nguyen Hoang Duc and Chau Doan Phat (from left to right). Photo vietnamnet.vn

2025 Golden Ball winners announced

Nguyen Hoang Duc of Ninh Binh FC was voted best player of 2025 and received his third Golden Ball statue at an awarding ceremony in HCM City on December 26.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh chairs a conference in Hanoi on December 27 to review the culture, sports and tourism sector’s performance in 2025 and over the past five years, and and outline key tasks for 2026. (Photo: VNA)

Culture must be Vietnam’s strength, people’s spiritual foundation: PM

He emphasised that the sector must cultivate an advanced Vietnamese culture rich in national identity, promote well-rounded human development, and foster a humane, civilised, and modern cultural environment, ensuring that culture permeates society and serves as both a strong spiritual foundation and an internal driver of development.

Handcrafted brocade products of Lan Ngoai village are popular with tourists, especially foreigners. (Photo: VNA)

Thanh Hoa focuses on preservation of brocade weaving craft

Lan Ngoai village, nestled in the heart of Pu Luong Nature Reserve in the central province of Thanh Hoa, is dedicated to preserving and promoting its traditional brocade weaving. Here, Thai ethnic minority women keep alive the art of creating unique patterns that reflect the rich cultural heritage of the region.

At the Hoi An – Japan Cultural Exchange in 2024 (Photo: hoianheritage.net)

21st Hoi An – Japan Cultural Exchange opens

After more than 20 years of organisation, the Hoi An – Japan Cultural Exchange has become a strong bridge connecting the two nations, helping to enhance mutual understanding, trust, and affection between their people.

A highlight is the use of cutting-edge tools at the event (Photo: VNA)

Hanoi launches immersive digital exhibition on capital's heritage

The digital exhibition employs digital projection, lighting, interactive elements and multimedia technologies to vividly and evocatively narrate stories of Hanoi's history, memories and cultural life, while marking an experimental advance in preserving and spreading the capital’s cultural heritage.

The VNA section at the exhibition (Photo: VNA)

Hanoi exhibition spreads reform ambition, patriotism

The event aims to encourage patriotic emulation, inspire patriotism and solidarity, and promote reform, creativity, and labour productivity improvement to help realise socio-economic tasks and the Resolution of the coming 14th National Party Congress.

Vietnamese referees at a V.League match (Photo: VPF)

Vietnam fields 22 FIFA-accredited referees, assistants in 2026

Vietnam will field 22 FIFA-accredited referees and assistant referees in 2026, comprising five male referees, seven male assistants, three female referees, three female assistants and four futsal referees covering both genders, the Vietnam Football Federation reported.