From November 2 to 7, the Italian Film Week will take place at Galaxy Cinema in Ho Chi Minh City. The event features six contemporary films and aims to strengthen cultural dialogue between Italy and Vietnam through the universal language of cinema. The initiative is promoted by the Italian Embassy in Vietnam together with the Asian Film Festival of Rome.
At the opening ceremony, Alessandra Tognanoto, Consul General of Italy in Ho Chi Minh City, said that the six films on the programme offer as many different perspectives on Italy, ranging from political and cultural institutions to family structures and from artistic heritage to the transformations shaping contemporary society. The films also allow audiences to explore the country’s diverse geographical and cultural landscapes.
The festival opens with La grazia (Grace) by Paolo Sorrentino, which was also the opening film of the 2025 Venice Film Festival. The programme, curated by director Antonio Termenini, brings together films that reflect the variety of Italian cinema today, including dramas, comedies, costume musicals, road movies and coming-of-age stories, featuring both established directors and emerging voices. Alongside Sorrentino’s film are Il Maestro (The Maestro) by Andrea Di Stefano, Primavera (Spring) by Damiano Michieletto, Gioia Mia (My Joy) by Margherita Spampinato, Le città di pianura (The Cities of the Plain) by Francesco Sossai and Diamanti (Diamonds) by Ferzan Özpetek.
According to the organisers, all six films have been recognised at major international festivals, achieved commercial success or won important Italian film awards. For Vietnamese audiences, the festival is therefore an opportunity to discover contemporary Italian cinema and the social and cultural experiences the films portray.
Photo credit: Andrej Lišakov via Unsplash
