Awards Ceremony

Awards Ceremony on Oct 15, 2022

Screening Committee Awards

The Grand Jury will select the following awards to be given out during the festival.

Grand Jury Trống Đồng Award for Best Feature

Children of the Mist directed by Hà Lệ Diễm

The best feature film is chosen based on several criteria including: production value, artistic merits, storyline, and community relevance.

Grand Jury Trống Đồng Award for Best Short

Taste of Home directed by Âni Võà Lệ Diễm

The best short film is chosen based on several criteria including: production value, artistic merits, storyline, and community relevance.

Best Actor Award

Thái Hoà in Blood Moon Party

Awarded for the best performance by an actor in any feature or short film at Viet Film Fest

Best Actress Award

Thu Trang in Blood Moon Party

Awarded for the best performance by an actress in any feature or short film at Viet Film Fest.

Inspiration Award

Trinh T. Mình-ha

The Inspiration Award is reserved for Vietnamese pioneers within the film industry.

Spotlight Award

Erin Hembrador and Quan Luong for Container; Âni Võ for Taste of Home

The Spotlight Award is given to a film that either highlights an important issue or burgeoning filmmaker.

Audience Choice Awards

The audience rates each film on a scale of 1 (worst) to 5 (best). The scores are averaged and awarded on the last day of the festival.

Audience Choice for Best Feature

Maika: The Girl from Another Galaxy, directed by Ham Tran

Watch and score the films, and we will find out on the last day.

Audience Choice for Best Short

Breakdown, directed by Hon Hoang

Watch and score the films, and we will find out on the last day.

Volunteer Award

Trần Tường Huy Volunteer Appreciation Award

Jade Ngoc Tu

Acknowledges the inspiring service, enthusiasm, and dedication of an exceptional volunteer

How are awards selected?

Curatorial Committee

Our curatorial committee consists of community activists, filmmakers, academics, youth organizers, and community members who try to select a very diverse program to reflect the range of Vietnamese voices and stories. Thank you this year to our 2022 Curatorial Committee!

  • Elyse Dinh
  • Stephane Ly-Cuong
  • Viet Le

Grand Jury

Our esteemed Grand Jury consists of diverse leaders and stars in the filmmaking world.

  • Bao Nguyen
  • Rosalina Tran
  • Victor Vu

Past Award Recipients

2021 Winners
  • Inspiration Award: Kelly Marie Tran
  • Grand Jury Trống Đồng Award for Best Feature: Be Water by Bao Nguyen
  • Grand Jury Trống Đồng Award for Best Short: Malabar by Maximilian Badier-Rosenthal
  • Best Actor: Tran Thanh in Bố Già (Dad, I’m Sorry)
  • Best Actress: Hong Dao in Goodbye Mother (Thưa Mẹ Con Đi)
  • Spotlight Award: Fighting for Family by Lan Nguyen
  • Audience Choice for Best Feature: Bố Già (Dad, I’m Sorry) by Tran Thanh and Vu Ngoc Dang
  • Audience Choice for Best Short: Calling by Hon Hoang and Nostalgia by McFloyd Nguyen
  • Trần Tường Huy Volunteer Appreciation Award: Cat-Dang Ly (Guest Relations Committee)
2019 Winners
  • Grand Jury Trống Đồng Award: Song Lang by Leon Le
  • Spotlight Award: Seadrift directed by Tim Tsai
  • Best Short Film: Walk Run Cha Cha by Laura Nix
  • Best Actress: Kim Xuan in Like An Old House
  • Best Actor: Lien Binh Phat for his performance in Song Lang
  • Audience Choice for Best Feature Film: My Mr. Wife (Chàng Vợ Của Em) by Charlie Nguyen and Song Lang by Leon Le
  • Audience Choice for Best Short Film: Journey of Wanderers by Huynh Anh Duy
  •  Trần Tường Huy Volunteer Appreciation Award: Bao-Ngoc Tran (Box Office Manager)
2018 Winners
  • Grand Jury Trống Đồng Award: The Island by Tuan Andrew Nguyen
  • Spotlight Award: Summer in Closed Eyes (Nhắm Mắt Thấy Mùa Hè) by Cao Thuy Nhi
  • Best Short Film: Apples and Oranges by Duc Ngo Ngoc
  • Best Actress: Thien Nguyen for her performance in Actress Wanted
  • Best Actor: Long Nguyen for his performance in Actress Wanted and Pham Anh Khoa in The Island
  • Audience Choice for Best Feature Film: Kiss and Spell (Yêu Đi Đừng Sợ) by Stephane Gauger
  • Audience Choice for Best Short Film: Spring Leaves (Feuilles de Printemps) by Stephane Ly-Cuong and Nguyening: The Lee Nguyen Story by Alfonso Bui
  • Trần Tường Huy Volunteer Appreciation Award:  Nhieu Do (Technical Committee)
2016 Winners
  • Grand Jury Trống Đồng Award: Yellow Flowers on the Green Grass (Tôi Thấy Hoa Vàng Trên Cỏ Xanh) by Victor Vũ
  • Spotlight Award: Finding Phong by Tran Phuong Thao and Swann Dubus
  • Best Short Film: My Home (Chez Moi) by Mai Phuong Nguyen
  • Best Actress: Miu Lê for her performance in Sweet Twenty (Em Là Bà Nội Của Anh)
  • Best Actor: Tâm Dinh for his performance in Never Forget
  • Audience Choice for Best Feature Film: Finding Phong by Tran Phuong Thao and Swann Dubus
  • Audience Choice for Best Short Film: Honoring Life: The Work of Trinh Mai by David Fokos
2015 Winners
  • Grand-Jury Trống Đồng Award for Best Feature: Flapping in the Middle of Nowhere (Đập Cánh Giữa Không Trung) directed by Nguyễn Hoàng Điệp
  • Grand-Jury Trống Đồng Award for Best Short: Talking to My Mother directed by Leon Le
  • Spotlight: Land of Sorrow (Đất Khổ) directed by Hà Thúc Cần
  • Best Actress: Nguyễn Thanh Tú for her performance in Gentle (Dịu Dàng)
  • Best Actor: Thanh Duy for his performance in Flapping in the Middle of Nowhere (Đập Cánh Giữa Không Trung)
  • Audience Choice (Feature): Can directed by Pearl J. Park
  • Audience Choice (Short): Master Hoa’s Requiem directed by Scott Edwards
2014 Winners
  • Grand-Jury Trống Đồng Award for Best Feature: Funny Money (Tiền Chùa) directed by Thiện Đỗ
  • Grand-Jury Trống Đồng Award for Best Short: Burn to Send (Đốt Về Trời) directed by Andinh Ha
  • Spotlight: Number 10 Blues / Goodbye Saigon directed by Norio Osada
  • Best Actress: Ninh Dương Lan Ngọc for her performance in Thuy
  • Best Actor: Khương Ngọc for his performance in Funny Money (Tiền Chùa)
  • Audience Choice (Feature): Công Binh – The Lost Fighters of Vietnam (Công Binh, la longue indochinoise nuit) directed by Lam Lê
  • Audience Choice (Short): Hanoi Fly Boy by Viet Phuong Dao
2013 Winners
  • Inspiration Award: Tran Anh Hung
  • Grand-Jury Trống Đồng Award for Best Feature: War Witch (Rebelle), directed by Kim Nguyen
  • Grand-Jury Trống Đồng Award for Best Short: Picture. Perfect by Winston Titus Tao
  • Spotlight: Stateless by Duc Nguyen and A Tree Worker’s Case by Daniela Agostin
  • Best Actress: Ngô Thanh Vân for her performance in House in the Alley (Ngôi Nhà Trong Hẻm)
  • Best Actor: Thái Hòa for his performance in In the Name of Love (Lấy Chồng Người Ta)
  • Best Cinematography:Nguyễn K’ Linh for Blood Letter (Bức Huyết Thư)
  • Audience Choice (Feature): Mr. Cao Goes To Washington directed by S. Leo Chiang
  • Audience Choice (Short): Stateless directed by Duc Nguyen
2011 Winners
  • Grand-Jury Trống Đồng Award for Best Feature: Bi, Don’t Be Afraid (Bi, Đừng Sợ!) directed by Phan Đăng Di
  • Grand-Jury Trống Đồng Award for Best Short: Behind Death (Phía Sau Cái Chết) directed by Tạ Nguyên Hiệp
  • Spotlight: Mother Fish directed by Khoa Đỗ
  • Best Actress: Đỗ Thị Hải Yến in Floating Lives (Cánh Đồng Bất Tận)
  • Best Actor: Dustin Nguyen in Floating Lives (Cánh Đồng Bất Tận)
  • Audience Choice (Feature): Touch directed by Minh Duc Nguyen
  • Audience Choice (Short): Fading Light by Thiện Đỗ and Things You Don’t Joke About by Viet Nguyen
2009 Winners
  • Grand-Jury Trống Đồng Award for Best Feature: Footy Legends by Khoa Đỗ
  • Grand-Jury Trống Đồng Award for Best Short: A Summer Rain by Ela Thier
  • Spotlight: Dustin Nguyen
  • Audience Choice (Feature): Operation Babylift: The Lost Children of Vietnam by Tammy Nguyen Lee
  • Audience Choice (Short): Delivery Day by Jane Manning
2007 Winners
  • Grand-Jury Trống Đồng Award for Best Feature: Journey from the Fall (Vượt Sóng) directed by Ham Tran
  • Best Short: Windowbreaker directed by Tze Chun
  • Spotlight: Screenwriter Nguyễn Thị Minh Ngọc for her script of Living in Fear (Sống Trong Sợ Hãi)
  • Audience Choice (Feature): The Rebel (Dòng Máu Anh Hùng) directed by Charlie Nguyen
  • Audience Choice (Short): Going Home directed by Hung P. Nguyen
2005 Winners
  • Grand-Jury Trống Đồng Award for Best Short: Afternoon (Buổi Chiều) by Kim Spurlock
  • Spotlight: Long Nguyễn for his performances in First Morning and Green Dragon
  • Audience Choice (Short): Tiger’s Apprentice by M. Trinh Nguyễn
2003 Winners
  • Lifetime Achievement Award: Kiều Chinh
  • Spotlight: First Morning by Victor Vũ
  • Audience Choice (Short): The Anniversary (Ngày Giỗ) by Hàm Trần and Passage of Life (Đường Trần) by Lưu Huỳnh