ĐÀ NẴNG – Xã Voọc (Douc Villa), a short film by director Nguyễn Ngọc Thảo Ly and producer Nguyễn Thiên Ân, has been listed in The Top 6 for the Best Awards at the Inspiring Vietnam 2026 Short Film Awards.

The film, which was shot earlier in 2026, is about the protection work of the endangered grey-shanked douc langurs carried out by a voluntary community of Tam Mỹ commune in central Việt Nam.

The film received a cash-prize of US$2,000 for placing in the top six. The other movies that won were Bám Rễ (Night in the Peace Forest); Thấu Sáng (In-Sight); Chuyện Của Nghề (Tales of a Craft); Đợi (Waiting) and Thân Sâu Hồn Bướm (A Butterfly's Soul in a Caterpillar's Body).

According to Inspiring Vietnam 2026, an annual social-impact film-making competition, the jury panel had selected the Top 10 microfilms and Top 6 finalist projects from over 160 submissions, to advance to the regional round.

It said these films focused on human connection, cultural preservation and sustainable livelihoods.

The top selected films are given screening platforms across universities and community centres to use storytelling for social change, the film competition organisers shared.

It added that the festival provides a platform for young filmmakers to tell impactful cultural and community-driven stories.

The local community living in Tam Mỹ commune has voluntarily protected a population of a dozen of the grey-shanked douc langurs (Pygathrix cinerea) – the Critically Endangered species by IUCN – since 1997.

The grey-shanked douc langur – which is listed on the International Union for Conservation of Nature red list as one of the world’s 25 critically endangered primates – can be seen in forests in Đà Nẵng, Quảng Ngãi, Đắk Lắk in central Việt Nam. — VNS