Vietnam wins awards at 2025 ISMA student film festival

Tung Lam

Jul 30, 2025 / 03:40 PM

"Used to Be Green" captivated the judges with its innovative use of AI and environmental data in storytelling.

THE HANOI TIMES — Vietnam won ten awards at the 2025 ISMA International Student Film Festival thanks to exceptional submissions from Van Lang University and the Ho Chi Minh City University of Theater and Cinema.

The closing ceremony took place on July 29 at Van Lang University in Ho Chi Minh City, concluding five days of academic and artistic activities that brought together nearly 100 lecturers, students, and experts from eight countries.

Out of the 36 awards presented, "Used to Be Green" from Van Lang University won one of the four top prizes. The jury was impressed by the film's approach to storytelling, which used environmental data and artificial intelligence to portray the transformation of an urban landscape.

Hình ảnh 1 — Van Lang University Rector Tran Thi My Dieu and HTV General Director Cao Anh Minh present the four top prizes. Photo: Organizers

Phan Quan Dung, Dean of the Faculty of Fine Arts and Design at Van Lang University and head of the organizing committee, stated that Vietnamese films this year strongly reflect creativity, humanity, and contemporary themes, underscoring the vital role of student cinema in addressing urgent social issues.

The 2025 ISMA Festival featured 121 films from 37 universities in the United States, France, South Korea, Japan, Thailand, China, Iran, and Vietnam vying for top honors in four categories: short film, animation, interactive art, and AI narrative.

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