Vietnamese cinema and nurturing young filmmakers

August 27, 2024

HANOI – Mariette Rissenbeek, former executive director of the Berlin International Film Festival (Berlinale) from 2019 to 2024, is a prominent figure in the global film industry. Before her role at Berlinale, she served as the managing director of German Films, an organisation dedicated to the international promotion of German cinema. This year, Rissenbeek joined the Đà Nẵng Asian Film Festival as a member of the jury for the Asian film competition.

In an interview with Việt Nam News reporter Trần Khánh An, she shares her thoughts on Asian and Vietnamese cinema, nurturing young talent, and the potential for international film festivals in Việt Nam.

Inner Sanctum: What do you think about the increasing attention to Asian cinema? What is the most distinctive feature of Asian and Vietnamese cinema?

It’s a bit unfortunate that the film industry in Europe and the US has historically dominated the scene, causing us to miss out on films from other regions, including Asia and Africa. If you love cinema, you’re always eager to see something new. The growth of Asian cinema offers a great opportunity for Europe and the US to experience inspiring films with fresh perspectives from other countries.

For me, Asian cinema is very poetic, with a distinct and strong aesthetic. In Germany, many young filmmakers focus solely on storytelling, sometimes in a rather straightforward or pragmatic way. In Asia, the method of storytelling is crucial, delivered in a strong and aesthetically pleasing manner. Similarly, I find Vietnamese cinema to be both aesthetic and poetic, which I believe are its strongest elements.

Inner Sanctum: Which young Vietnamese filmmaker has impressed you the most?

I’m not great with remembering names,