On 29/8, BIFF unveiled its Asian Cinema 100 list, celebrating outstanding Asian films. The list was compiled by 161 internationally renowned experts from 34 countries, including directors, critics, and curators.

Released in 2023, Inside the Yellow Cocoon centers on Thien (played by Le Phong Vu), who must transport his sister-in-law's remains back to her hometown after an accident while caring for his orphaned nephew. His search for his missing brother becomes a journey of self-discovery, questioning faith and the meaning of life.

At the 2023 Cannes Film Festival, the film won the Camera d'Or for best debut feature. It also garnered several other international awards, including the Roberto Rossellini Prize for Best Film at the 2023 Pingyao International Film Festival and the Young Cinema Award at the 2023 Asia Pacific Screen Awards. The British Film Institute ranked it 24th on its list of the 50 best films of 2023.

A scene from "Inside the Yellow Cocoon". Photo: Provided by the film crew

The Guardian gave the film a perfect 5/5 rating, calling it "a gem of slow cinema." Film critic Jonathan Romney of Sight & Sound magazine stated, "Inside the Yellow Cocoon weaves together historical themes, Catholicism, and the search for meaning in life. The cocoon symbolizes the illusions that humans constantly strive to shed. Pham Thien An's filmmaking style may evoke Apichatpong Weerasethakul or Bi Gan, but the film's portrayal of existential themes reveals the maturity of a distinctive artist."

Pham Thien An, 36, from Bao Loc (Lam Dong), won second prize in the 48 Hour Film Project in 2014. In 2018, his film The Mute screened at the Palm Springs International ShortFest and was selected for competition at nearly 15 international film festivals, including Winterthur, Tampere, Hong Kong, Encounters, and Aspen. Stay Awake, Be Ready, filmed in a single take, won the Illy Prize in the Director's Fortnight section of the 2019 Cannes Film Festival.

Director Tran Anh Hung's Cyclo (1995) is also featured on the list. This French-Vietnamese co-production won the Golden Lion at the 1995 Venice Film Festival. Topping the list is A Brighter Summer Day (1991) by Taiwanese director Edward Yang. The remaining top 5 spots are held by A City of Sadness (1989, directed by Hou Hsiao-hsien), Tokyo Story (1953, directed by Ozu Yasujiro), In the Mood for Love (2000, directed by Wong Kar-wai), and Aparajito (1956, directed by Satyajit Ray).

The Busan International Film Festival, one of Asia's largest film events, has been held annually since 1996. The awards primarily honor young directors and new releases. This year, the organizers introduced the program "Moments that Defined Asian Cinema" to celebrate the films on the list. Ten representative films will be screened during the festival, which runs from 4 to 13/10 in Busan, South Korea.

In previous years, several Vietnamese films have made their mark at the event. In 2019, Rom was one of two winners in the New Currents section. In 2020, Sister Sister, directed by Kathy Uyen, was selected for screening in the A Window on Asian Cinema section. Memoryland, directed by Bui Kim Quy, competed in the New Currents section in 2021.

Top 10 Best Asian Films of All Time at Busan Film Festival:

1. A Brighter Summer Day (1991), directed by Edward Yang (Taiwan)

2. A City of Sadness (1989), directed by Hou Hsiao-hsien (Taiwan)

3. Tokyo Story (1953), directed by Yasujirō Ozu (Japan)

4. In the Mood for Love (2000), directed by Wong Kar-wai (Hong Kong)

5. Aparajito, The Unvanquished (1956), directed by Satyajit Ray (India)

6. Rashomon (1950), directed by Akira Kurosawa (Japan)

7. Yi Yi: A One and a Two (2000), directed by Edward Yang (Taiwan)

8. Parasite (2019), directed by Bong Joon Ho (South Korea)

9. Close-Up (1990), directed by Abbas Kiarostami (Iran)

10. Chungking Express (1994), directed by Wong Kar-wai (Hong Kong)

Gia Hung (according to BIFF)