Vietnam's film industry is stepping onto the global stage with confidence, craft, and ambition. DANAFF Industry Days represents a strategic milestone—not just another festival sidebar but a calculated bid to connect homegrown talent with international distribution power players.
Insiders know this move puts Da Nang in direct competition with established markets like Busan and Hong Kong. The real question: can 10 studios deliver enough quality to justify 25 buyers making the trip? One veteran buyer told us privately they're 'cautiously curious but not booking flights yet.'
Festival runs June 28–July 4, 2026 in Da Nang. Industry Days scheduled for June 30 and July 1—midway through the festival—with a Project Market following July 2-3. Jérémy Segay, Asian film industry veteran, appointed as advisor. Goal: attract 25 international buyers to slate presentations from studios including Galaxy Studio, CJ CGV Vietnam, BHD|Vietnam Media Corp., Mockingbird Pictures, HKFilm, and 89sGROUP.
Vietnam isn't playing small anymore—this is a declaration of intent. Whether DANAFF Industry Days delivers remains to be seen, but the ambition alone tells you Da Nang wants its seat at the table with the big regional players.
Vietnam's Danang Asian Film Festival is making a major power play. The fourth edition of DANAFF will debut a dedicated two-day industry program called DANAFF Industry Days this June 30 and July 1—slotted right in the middle of the larger festival running from June 28 through July 4—and the stakes couldn't be higher. Ten Vietnamese production companies have been tapped to showcase their slates to invited international buyers, with a target of 25 distribution executives making the trip to Da Nang's vibrant coastal setting. This isn't just about networking over canapés and business cards. The program builds directly on DANAFF's introduction of a project market in 2025, signaling that Vietnam's film sector has matured enough to demand serious industry infrastructure. Jérémy Segay, a veteran Asian film industry expert brought on as advisor to the new program, put it plainly: "Vietnam's film sector has reached a stage where a dedicated industry platform is essential, as international interest in understanding its dynamics continues to expand." He added that local productions are "gaining in confidence, craft and ambition" with clear potential to reach beyond diaspora audiences. Translation? Vietnam wants global distribution, not just regional play. The participating studios read like a who's who of Vietnamese cinema: Galaxy Studio, CJ CGV Vietnam, BHD|Vietnam Media Corp., Mockingbird Pictures, HKFilm, and 89sGROUP are among the confirmed names presenting their upcoming slates. Ngo Phuong Lan, chair of the Vietnam Film Development Association and director of DANAFF, framed the initiative as a bridge between local talent and international opportunity. "We aim to establish a platform that fosters both creative and business exchanges," Lan said, noting that participating distributors can extend their stay to attend the DANAFF Project Market on July 2 and 3—effectively creating a week-long industry hub. But here's where it gets interesting for the drama crowd: this move puts Da Nang in direct competition with established Asian film festival powerhouses like Busan's BIFF and Hong Kong's market. The DANAFF Industry Talks panel series will examine "dynamics, opportunities and challenges facing Vietnamese and Southeast Asian cinema"—which sounds diplomatic but reads as a strategic positioning exercise. Other confirmed programming includes seminars on American cinema, four decades of Vietnamese filmmaking since the Đổi Mới reforms, and discussions around digital technology, AI, and intellectual property protection. The full selection drops at a Hanoi press conference June 2. Whether DANAFF Industry Days delivers on its ambitions or becomes another regional footnote remains to be seen. But make no mistake—Vietnam isn't tiptoeing into the global film conversation anymore. This is a calculated declaration that Da Nang wants its seat at the table, and these ten studios are betting their futures on it.
