'Air Battle' named best Vietnamese film at Da Nang Asian Film Festival 2026

"Air Battle" won best Vietnamese film and outstanding lead actor for Thai Hoa at the fourth Da Nang Asian Film Festival, held on the evening of 4/7.

On stage, a representative from People's Public Security Cinema, the film's producer, expressed that the award surpassed their expectations for their debut entry. "Air Battle" also earned Thai Hoa the outstanding lead actor award for his portrayal of Long, the mastermind behind a plane hijacking. Actor Bao Dinh, who plays Suu, Long's son, accepted the trophy on behalf of Thai Hoa, who was absent from the event.

The team of "Air Battle" receives the outstanding Vietnamese film award at the Da Nang Asian Film Festival 2026. *Photo: Organizing Committee*.

Directed by Ham Tran, the film draws inspiration from a real-life hijacking incident in Vietnam in 1978. It received praise for successfully blending commercial appeal with artistic merit. The 118-minute narrative maintained an engaging pace, showcasing Ham Tran's strength in the action genre. Despite the majority of the film being set in a confined space, the director skillfully managed the staging and focused on exploring the psychological depth of both sides rather than just physical confrontations.

Thai Hoa's performance was a highlight. He crafted a character with an ordinary, even somewhat austere, exterior, yet subtly revealed a cruel nature and a capacity for psychological manipulation.

Trailer for "Air Battle" (2025). *Video: Film crew*.

While "Air Battle" represents large-scale commercial cinema, the two victories for "Searching for Ambergris" in the outstanding director category and the special jury award underscore recognition for young filmmakers. Duong Minh Chien notably triumphed over Ham Tran ("Air Battle") and Dang Thai Huyen ("Red Rain") to win the directing award.

Upon receiving the honor, Duong Minh Chien thanked the organizers, jury, and film crew. The director, who began his career as a stuntman, expressed his immense happiness at having the opportunity to direct a film project. "I hope DANAFF continues to serve as a bridge for Vietnamese and international filmmakers to connect and open doors for collaboration", he stated.

Trailer for "Searching for Ambergris" (2025). *Video: Film crew*.

In the female acting category, Viet Huong was honored for "Grandma's Gold Nugget". Visibly moved, she mentioned the award coincided with her 20th wedding anniversary and 50th birthday. "Money Trap" received the outstanding screenplay award, while "See You on the Day of the Eclipse" and "Red Rain" were awarded the most favorite Vietnamese film and the NETPAC award, respectively, presented by the Network for the Promotion of Asian Cinema.

The winning films in the Asian film category explored social issues from individual perspectives. The best film award went to "Full Plate" from India, which tells the story of Amreen, a Muslim woman in Mumbai who becomes her family's sole provider after her husband's accident. In her struggle to make a living, she confronts class barriers, religious prejudice, and family pressures.

Director and screenwriter Tannishtha Chatterjee expressed that the win helped her team overcome self-doubt and provided motivation to continue telling human stories. "We hope more audiences will hear our story", she said. In addition to the top prize, "Full Plate" also earned Kirti Kulhari the outstanding lead actress award.

"Salvation", a co-production between Turkey, France, the Netherlands, Greece, Sweden, and Saudi Arabia, won outstanding director and outstanding lead actor. "Poor Taxi" (China) received the outstanding screenplay award, and "Numb" (Japan) was honored with the special jury award.

Director and screenwriter Tannishtha Chatterjee (left) on stage accepting the outstanding Asian film award for "Full Plate". *Photo: Organizing Committee*.

The two-hour program primarily focused on recognizing the winning films and artists. Interspersed throughout were musical performances, including "O tro" (Trinh Cong Son), "Co chang trai viet len cay", "Ngay chua giong bao" (Phan Manh Quynh), performed by Lam Bao Ngoc and Ho Trung Dung, alongside the song "Golden" from the animated film "Kpop Demon Hunters".

A new addition to this year's festival was DANAFF Industry Days (Film Industry Connection Forum), organized for the first time to create a meeting space for producers, distributors, investment funds, experts, and filmmakers. According to the organizing committee, the program aims to support project development, identify co-production opportunities, and expand collaboration networks between Vietnamese cinema and regional and international markets. Parallel to this were professional activities such as workshops on artificial intelligence in cinema, the landscape of Vietnamese cinema during the Doi Moi era, and masterclasses with international filmmakers.

The fourth edition of the event was the largest since its inception, gathering over 1,000 delegates and guests, including nearly 300 international attendees, and attracting tens of thousands of audience members. Doctor Ngo Phuong Lan, President of the Vietnam Film Development Promotion Association (VFDA) and DANAFF director, stated that after four editions, the film festival is positioned not just as a screening and awards event but as a platform for professional networking, human resource training, and fostering the development of the Vietnamese film industry.

Da Nang Asian Film Festival 2026 Winners List

Vietnamese Film Competition Category:

Best Film: Air Battle

Outstanding Screenplay: Money Trap (screenwriter Oscar Duong)

Outstanding Lead Actress: Viet Huong (Grandma's Gold Nugget)

Outstanding Lead Actor: Thai Hoa (Air Battle)

Outstanding Director: Duong Minh Chien (Searching for Ambergris)

Special Jury Award: Searching for Ambergris

Asian Film Competition Category:

Best Film: Full Plate (India)

Outstanding Screenplay: Poor Taxi (screenwriter Zhuo Kailuo, China)

Outstanding Lead Actress: Kirti Kulhari (Full Plate)