The live broadcast ceremony was hosted by actor The Anh and Tra Giang in the first half and later by young stars Huy Khanh and Giang My.
Directed by Pham Viet Thanh, the festival opening paid tribute to the early generations of Vietnam’s directors, cinematographers and contributors through music performances and live presentations.
Walking the red carpet of the event were renowned actors and actresses of many generations like Chanh Tin, Le Mai, Le Khanh and Nhu Quynh.
However, many famous names in recent box-office hits such as Tang Thanh Ha, Ngo Thanh Van or Truong Ngoc Anh were not present, due to personal health problems or tight working schedules. Absent these young stars whose presence easily whips up the fervor and excitement of the crowds, the overall reception seemed to be dulled down a bit, Tuoitre wrote.
Besides 17 feature films, 91 other entries, including 62 documentaries, 8 scientific documentaries, and 16 cartoons will compete for “The Golden Lotus Award” in each of their respective category at this year’s festival.