artLIVE – In recent years, Vietnamese cinema has witnessed a powerful transformation driven by a new wave of independent filmmakers. Amidst this flow, the CJ Short Film Project has emerged as a prestigious launchpad of top-tier quality.
Initiated in 2018, this playground is not merely a competition but has become an incubator for exceptional talents such as Pham Thien An (Inside the Yellow Cocoon Shell), Pham Ngoc Lan (Cu Li Never Cries), as well as Duong Dieu Linh and Doan Si Nguyen.
In 2025, the project continues to present five outstanding young directorial faces. Despite different starting points, they converge on a common ground: a spirit of fierce dedication and a burning desire to bring the Vietnamese cinematic language closer to the world.
Below are the portraits of five artistic personalities promising to make waves in this year’s season.
Le Hoang: The storyteller returning to pure cinema
In the Top 5, Le Hoang brings the steadiness of a veteran in the field. A 2014 graduate of the University of Theatre and Cinema, he has spent over a decade hustling to prove himself. Lê Hoàng’s track record stretches from the Golden Kite Award (The Girl on the Rooftop) to prestigious international awards at the Autumn Meeting and the BIFAN Film Festival (South Korea) in 2021 and 2024.
However, coming to CJ 2025, Lê Hoàng chose to “step back to move forward”. He returns to the short film format with the work “Lạch Cạch” as a method to renew himself. Free from the pressures of large commercial projects, this is his time to rediscover the purest vibrations of cinema. With the participation of actor Bao Dinh (an impressive face from Sky Tour), Le Hoang promises to deliver a story full of depth and skillful technique.
Cam Duc Hiep: The bold choice of a promising young director
As the youngest member of the CJ common house this year, Cam Duc Hiep surprised experts with a mindset far more mature than his age. Still a student majoring in Directing, Hiep equipped himself early with a solid foundation through a direct documentary course from Varan Vietnam.
Hiep’s project, “Behind The Sin” is a testament to his unique visual thinking. Instead of exploiting the poetic, misty Moc Chau often seen, he chooses to peel back the layers to reveal a starker, grittier reality. Hiep is embarking on a journey to discover his own cinematic language, where the boundaries between feature films, documentaries and experimental video are blurred to serve the most authentic emotions.
Vu Trung Duc: The journey of recording northern memories through cinema
If one seeks a storyteller with subtlety and nostalgia, it is Vu Trung Duc. Pursuing his passion since the age of 18, Duc accumulated life experience by actively participating in film screening communities and theater stages.
The defining characteristic of Vu Trung Duc’s style is a deep connection to family themes and the backdrop of the rural North during a transitional era. Unlike the gentle, dreamlike quality of his previous short films like “Chạy Chạy Chạy” (Run Run Run) or “Thành Phố, Những Bóng Râm” (The City, The Shadows), his new project “Những Ngày Xanh Thẳm” marks a significant leap in maturity in his thought process. It is a direct dialogue, unflinching in the face of the memories and stories he painfully wishes to tell about his homeland.
Nguyen Thien An: A new language in the making
Nguyen Thien An brings an interesting color to this year’s season. With a versatile background ranging from directing MVs and TVCs to cinematography, he possesses excellent skills in controlling imagery and rhythm.
However, Thien An’s artistic voice lies in the seamless blend of fiction and reality, influenced by the Direct Cinema style. With the project “Giấc Mơ Là Ốc Sên” (Dream is a Snail), he views the camera lens as an eye to observe the subtle movements of humans in everyday life. The work promises a unique visual experience where professional technique serves simple, everyday stories.
Nguyen Duy Anh: The cinematic voice of a generation of concerns
Nguyen Duy Anh represents the class of independent filmmakers with an open mindset and international connections. A graduate of the collaborative program between the Hanoi Academy of Theatre and Cinema and INSAS (Belgium), his works have traveled through various exhibitions and film festivals in Singapore, Germany and South Korea.
Coming to CJ 2025, Duy Anh brings the project “Made In Vietnam”. The work reflects the concerns of young people: anxiety about the future, fractures in relationships and the desperate effort to find meaning in existence within modern society. Through Duy Anh’s lens, the audience can expect a story full of philosophy, humanity and the breath of the times.
Five personalities, five distinct nuances, yet all five young directors are painting a new face for Vietnamese cinema together: diverse, profound and full of inner strength. Their passionate works will be officially screened and honored at the Closing Ceremony of the CJ Short Film Project Season 6, scheduled to take place on December 18, 2025. This is undoubtedly an unmissable event for those who love the “Seventh Art“.
Photo: CJ CGV
