The Golden Kite Awards – one of Vietnam’s two most important professional accolades in cinema – is facing numerous challenges ahead of the anticipated announcement of results and the awards ceremony, scheduled for late December.
On October 23, a representative from the Vietnam Cinema Association announced that this year’s Golden Kite Awards might not include prize money due to procedural and regulatory complications.
The potential absence of prize money for the Golden Kite Awards has raised questions and concerns regarding the scale of the event’s organization and the enthusiasm of film crews and producers planning to submit their works.
Speaking with Dân trí reporters on the morning of November 15 about the organization and resolution of difficulties, a representative of the Vietnam Cinema Association stated that, as of now, the Association has not finalized the official venue for this year’s awards ceremony, nor has it found a definitive solution regarding prize money.
“The Vietnam Cinema Association is working with partners. We will make an announcement once specific information becomes available. The Association has already informed its members, artists, and participating organizations and individuals. We continue to collaborate with all parties to mobilize socialized funding,” the representative shared.
Regarding the issue of not having funds to pay individuals and organizations winning awards, the organizing committee explained that, according to new regulations, the financial allocations from the state budget for awards in central specialized literature and arts associations have not been approved by the competent financial authorities.
Consequently, the Golden Kite Awards fall into the category where prize money cannot be disbursed without specific guidelines. If this hurdle cannot be overcome, individual and collective winners will not receive monetary awards as in previous years.
“Previously, the prize money for the Golden Kite Awards was disbursed under Decision No. 25/TTg by the Prime Minister, issued in 1993, which stipulated annual funding support for literature and arts associations to select and honor outstanding works.
However, starting in 2024, under the State Budget Law, all budget expenditures must comply with technical-economic norms.
Applying this regulation to professional associations faces many obstacles because each association has a different structure and number of awards, making it very difficult to establish a common norm,” said a representative of the Vietnam Cinema Association.
Addressing concerns that the awards might become less appealing without prize money, the Association representative asserted that even without cash prizes, the Golden Kite Awards would maintain its essential role in the Vietnamese film ecosystem.
The value and appeal of the Golden Kite Awards stem from its credibility, built over two decades. It serves as a gathering place for generations of professionals, a platform to acknowledge creative efforts, and to affirm artists’ positions within the film community.
Furthermore, achievements at the Golden Kite Awards, along with other accolades such as the Golden Lotus, the National Television Festival, or international awards, are crucial milestones in an artist’s professional portfolio, bolstering the reputation of those nominated for prestigious honors like the Ho Chi Minh Awards, State Awards for Literature and Arts, and titles like People’s Artist and Meritorious Artist.
Discussing long-term strategies and the potential for mobilizing socialized resources, the Association representative emphasized that the paramount factor remains the quality of the submitted works.
High-quality films, combined with effective communication and promotion, will help the awards attract audience and business interest.
In a context where the state budget provides almost no funding for organization, the companionship of businesses and art enthusiasts becomes a crucial condition for maintaining a solemn, artistic, and potentially live-televised awards ceremony, thereby helping the Golden Kite Awards and sponsoring brands spread their value.
Over the past two decades, the Golden Kite Awards has undergone several changes in scale and venue. From being held alternately in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, in the last three years, the Vietnam Cinema Association decided to bring the event to Nha Trang (Khanh Hoa) to create a new space and promote combined tourism, culture, and cinema.
However, transporting hundreds of artists, directors, and film crews to a location far from central hubs requires significant funding, while the Association’s financial mechanisms are quite limited.
Associate Professor Dr. Do Le Hung Tu, Chairman of the Vietnam Cinema Association, once shared that for each Golden Kite Awards event, the Association received approximately 600-800 million VND.
This budget primarily covers judging activities, awards, trophies, certificates, and live television broadcasting costs. To maintain a grand, solemn, and engaging awards ceremony, the Association is compelled to seek socialized funding to cover the remaining expenses.
Despite many unresolved issues, the sub-committees of judges have begun their work. In particular, the television drama jury – a group that must watch and evaluate hundreds of episodes – started early to ensure progress.
The Golden Kite Awards is currently the only platform in Vietnam that includes categories for both feature films and television dramas, leading to a much larger volume of films for assessment compared to other festivals.
In 2024, the awards attracted 163 participating films. Trấn Thành’s film Mai won a series of important awards, including Best Film, Screenplay, Art Design, and Best Lead Actress.
In 2025, the awards will continue to maintain its familiar categories: Feature Film, Television Series, Documentary Film, Animated Film, and Research Work. Winners will receive trophies and certificates; however, the fate of the prize money remains uncertain.
Source link: https://dantri.com.vn/giai-tri/giai-canh-dieu-2025-cua-viet-nam-nguy-co-khong-co-tien-thuong-20251115144414256.htm
