3. How many entries
were submitted for consideration this time around and how many
films will be shown at ViFF this year?
75 films were submitted from Canada, France, Germany, Israel, Poland,
U.S., and Viet Nam. Twenty of the films are features, the rest are
shorts, between 3 to 57 minutes in length. This year sets the record!
In 2003 ViFF received a total of 71 films. In 2005 there were 45
films. I don’t have the exact number [of films to be shown], but
probably around 50.
4. What is the criteria
used by the panel when selecting films for ViFF?
The selection panel will be looking at theme, storyline, relevance
to ViFF, artistic value, production value, acting (if relevant, N/A
for documentaries).
5. Do bigger budget
productions generally make better films?
No, not really. However, having a decent budget would allow the filmmakers
more time to focus on the creative aspect of the film. They need
a budget to hire professional cast and crew members, rent equipments,
do publicity for the film, etc.
There are a few over-one-million dollar budgeted films at ViFF 2007. Compared to non-Vietnamese films with similar budgets, I think the quality of the Vietnamese American films are to be proud of!
6. As far as Vietnamese
filmmakers go, who is overrated?
Who is underrated?
We’d need more people to come out to see the films and “rate” them
before we can say who is “overrated” or “underrated.” I think all
of Vietnamese American filmmaking in general is underrated though.
I have heard negative comments such as, “We Vietnamese don’t have
a movie industry” or “We can’t act in movies!” Recently, at a press
screening of a feature film, one of the attendees told me, “I didn’t
know films made by a Vietnamese American director could be this professional.”
When we showed the trailers of a few films that will be shown at
ViFF, some people were very surprised and said they were “blown away”
by the quality of the films. They didn’t know how far the Vietnamese
American filmmakers have come!
I hope that the films at ViFF will move beyond the film festival circuit and reach a wider audience through professional distribution. A lot more people will appreciate the films if they get to experience them and in turn can “rate” them.