Every september, film industries worldwide announce their submissions to the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS). This year, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism selected director Nguyen Phan Quang Binh's film to enter the pre-selection round for the best international feature film category at the 99th Academy Awards, marking Vietnam's 23rd representative.

Entering a race featuring numerous films that have swept major film festivals such as Cannes, Venice, Berlin, and Sundance, the Vietnamese representative faces significant pressure from European cinematic powerhouses. These countries bring an overwhelming force in terms of both director reputation and artistic quality.

Trailer for "Ho linh trang si", 135-minute version. Video: Film production team

One of the most prominent contenders is La Bola Negra (Spain) by directors Javier Calvo and Javier Ambrossi. Inspired by an unfinished manuscript by Federico Garcia Lorca, the film spans three periods from the Spanish Civil War to the present day, connecting the destinies of three men through themes of love and cultural heritage. The film won best director at the Cannes Film Festival and is ranked among the leading predictions by film specialist Gold Derby for the best picture category.

A scene from "La Bola Negra". Photo: Netflix

Competing with the Spanish entry is Fjord (Romania), which won the Palme d'Or at Cannes this year. Director Cristian Mungiu, a six-time Cannes award winner, collaborated with Sebastian Stan and Renate Reinsve to adapt a true event from Norway in 2016 involving a couple accused of child abuse. Previous Palme d'Or winners such as Parasite, Anatomy of a Fall, and Anora have all been nominated by the Academy.

Pressure from Europe intensifies with actress Sandra Hüller's involvement in Markus Schleinzer's Rose (Austria), which earned her the Silver Bear for outstanding performance at Berlin 2026, and Paweł Pawlikowski's Fatherland (Poland). Pawlikowski previously won an Oscar for Ida (2014) and best director at Cannes for Cold War (2018). With Fatherland, he won best director at Cannes for the second time, telling the story of writer Thomas Mann and his daughter during the Cold War.

France submitted Andrey Zvyagintsev's Minotaur to the competition after it won the Grand Prix at Cannes. The Russian-language film explores family estrangement amidst contemporary warfare. The work qualified for submission through an international co-production mechanism, following France's last Oscar win in this category in 1992 with Indochine.

The Asian region sees participation from directors who have competed in previous years. Japan's representative is Ryusuke Hamaguchi's All of a Sudden, who won an Oscar in 2021 for Drive My Car. The French-language film chronicles conversations between a nursing home manager and a theater director, earning Virginie Efira and Tao Okamoto the best actress award at Cannes.

South Korea submitted Lee Chang Dong's Possible Love. The film won the jury prize and FIPRESCI award at Venice, following two couples as they make a documentary. Nepal's representative is director Abinash Bikram Shah's Elephants in the Fog, which screened in the Un Certain Regard section at Cannes. Asia also features Rafael Manuel's Filipiñana (Philippines), a Sundance award-winner on social stratification, and director Chen Yu-hsun's A Foggy Tale (Taiwan), which won a Golden Horse Award.

Trailer for "Possible Love". Video: Netflix

This year's competition applies new Academy rules, allowing films that win top prizes at six film festivals – Cannes, Venice, Berlin, Sundance, Toronto, and Busan – to be automatically submitted without national committee approval. This new mechanism paves the way for independent films and elevates the initial selection round to the level of an A-list film festival award. This rule adds five films to the list, including Yellow Letters (Berlin Golden Bear) and Woman Unknown (Venice Golden Lion).

On 15/12, the Academy will announce a shortlist of 15 films for the best international feature film category. Against a dense list of international cinematic giants, Ho linh trang si's chances of advancing present a significant challenge. Nevertheless, entering the global arena is a necessary opportunity for Vietnamese cinema to gain exposure, establish its unique voice, and engage with the contemporary flow of the seventh art.

Premiering on 28/8, the historical fantasy film Ho linh trang si had an estimated budget of 100 billion VND, currently grossing over 38 billion VND, facing a risk of heavy losses. The film received mixed reviews: it garnered high praise for its majestic Ninh Binh setting and martial arts action, but its script was criticized for being overly ambitious and disjointed, leading the crew to cut 20 minutes from the film during its theatrical run.

Tuan Anh