Ho Chi Minh City, commonly known as Saigon, the most populous city in Vietnam, located in the southern territory of the country on the western bank of the Saigon River, a sprawling metropolis that is a blend of modern and traditional with its ornate temples, Chinese pagodas, classic colonial buildings linked to the former French rulers and sleek skyscrapers, has been officially designated a UNESCO Creative City of Film.
The announcement held during the opening of the 24th Vietnam Film Festival at Independence Palace and officially known as the Reunification Convention Hall, a landmark in Ho Chi Minh city, on 21st November 2025 recognizing Ho Chi Min City as Southeast Asia’s first “City of Film” as part of the Creative Citieson World Cities Day 2025.
The recognition came at a challenging moment for Vietnam, as several central provinces continued to face the impacts of severe flooding. In response the festival’s activities were carried out in a respectful and measured manner, including calls for artists, filmmakers and audiences to contribute to relief for affected communities.
This designation acknowledges the city’s vibrant film industry, which includes over 900 enterprises and generate around $500 million in annual revenue and this title undoubtedly represents a starting point for further development and global collaboration in the film industry of Vietnam.
As the country’s largest centre for film production and distribution, the Vietnamese city continues to demonstrate significant momentum. The city hosts diverse creative spaces, international and domestic festivals and produces works that have received recognition both nationally and globally.
Ho Chi Minh City’s film industry has nearly 9.300 employees in the film industry, a vibrant cinematic ecosystem, including 52 cinema complexes, 295 screening rooms, and 184 creative spaces.
Speaking at the ceremony, UNESCO Representative to Vietnam Jonathan Baker, underlined the city’s sustained leadership in building a dynamic fil ecosystem and its commitment to placing creativity at the centre of sustainable development, highlighting the energy and imagination of young filmmakers and creative practitioners, noting their role in shaping a vibrant and forward - looking cultural landscape.
City leaders emphasised that joining the UNESCO Creaative Cities Network places new reponsabilities on Ho Chi Minh City to further strengthen its cultural industry.
Initiatives already underway include programmes to bring the film sector into schools, public screenings to increase community access to film, efforts to develop creative spaces, and measures to support domestic and international filmmakers through streamlined procedures, and creating further production facilities and collaboration platforms.
Link
https://www.unesco.org/en/articles/ho-chi-minh-city-designated-unesco-creative-city-film
No comments:
Post a Comment
Thanks a lot to read and note.