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The first Asean Film Award was presented to Singapore's Yellow Bird at the 20th Viet Nam National Film Festival. Photo variety.com

During the five-day festival audiences will have the chance to watch new films for free at cinemas in the province and meet famous film directors and actors.

Over 100 films in the categories of motion picture, documentary and science and cartoons will vie for the Golden Lotus awards at the festival.

The festival will include a wide range of activities including talk shows, workshops and film screenings. Workshops will be held with participation of film producers to discuss improving the quality of Vietnamese films in the international arena.

Film weeks will be held at the same time in Hanoi and HCM City.

With the slogan "Building a national, human, creative and integrated Vietnamese film industry", the festival will promote films about national identity.

The opening and closing ceremonies will be aired live by Viet Nam National Television and Ba Ria — Vung Tau Radio and Television Station.

At the closing ceremony on November 27, the organising board will hand out the Golden Lotus and Silver Lotus awards for the best films and artists.

The 21st festival is expected to gather about 1,600 guests from the film industry.

The Viet Nam National Film Festival was first launched in 1980 in Hanoi. It has been held every three years since then in different localities.

The 20th film festival was held in Da Nang with the participation of 77 films. Director Le Thanh Son's Em Chưa 18 (Jailbait) won the Golden Lotus for best film. Director Vu Ngoc Dang won the Golden Lotus for best director whilst Quy Binh and Katie Nguyen were the best leading actor and actress.

At the 20th film festival, the first Asean Film Award was given to Singapore's Yellow Bird. Indonesian Wicaksono Wisnu Legowo won the best director and the best leading actor and the best leading actress went to Singapore's Sivakumar Palakrishnan and the Philippines' Mary Joy Apostol.

VNS