HCM CITY — Vietnamese short films, Lạch Cạch (Through the Cracks) and Những Ngày Xanh Thẳm (Blue Days), were selected for the Southeast Asian Short Film Competition of the 37th Singapore International Film Festival (SGIFF), taking place from October 21 to November 1.

The Southeast Asian Short Film Competition celebrates the best short cinematic gems from the region. This year’s selection presents 24 films.

Director Lê Hoàng’s Through the Cracks, with a duration of 14 minutes, revolves around a groom-to-be who begins to listen to crackling sounds in his head, as if something is coming loose, right before his wedding day.

The noise grows louder, making him panic and forcing him to confront the deepest truth within himself.

The film features well-known actors Nguyễn Sỹ Hậu from the movie Quán Kỳ Nam (Kỳ Nam Inn), Bảo Định from Tử Chiến Trên Không (Hijacked), and Thiên Tú from Hộ Linh Tráng Sĩ – Bí Ẩn Mộ Vua Đinh (Spirit Guardians: The Last Secret of The First Emperor).

Director Hoàng said, “Through the Cracks does not just tell a story but also conducts an experiment on anxiety tremors and internal deviation within each person.”

The 20-minute Blue Days, directed by Vũ Trung Đức, tells the story of a teenager and his friend during early adolescence. While both seek ways to escape school bullies, they bring to light a buried story.

Đức shared that “Blue Days was shaped from my perception of youth during my younger years, when people do not yet fully understand the world but have begun to envision a vast future.

“For me, the past is a nurturing grace, as well as a curse of regret. If there is still hope for the future, both can turn out to be beautiful.”

Both films will compete for categories of Best Southeast Asian Short Film, Special Jury Prize, Best Director and Best Performance at the 2026 SGIFF.

They will also have their world premiere on October 28 during the festival.

Founded in 1987, the SGIFF is the largest and longest-running film event in Singapore, highlighting global independent film, with a focus on Southeast Asian films. 

This year’s festival features a diverse selection of over 100 films from more than 50 countries. It also introduces dialogue sessions with acclaimed filmmakers and actors from Asia, as well as forums for filmmakers and industry visionaries to engage and exchange ideas.

Through the Cracks and Blue Days are among the five winners at the 2025 CJ Short Film Project, a prominent national contest in the genre.

The CJ Short Film Project was initiated by the CJ Cultural Foundation and CJ CGV Vietnam in 2018 to nurture emerging filmmakers and bring their works to international film festivals.

Through the seven seasons, the programme has funded the production of 35 films and accompanied 37 young directors on their journey to pursue their cinematic dreams.

Many directors from the programme have been nominated for and won awards at more than 60 prestigious international film festivals, such as director Phạm Ngọc Lân at the Berlin International Film Festival, and Phạm Thiên Ân and Nguyễn Thiên Ân at the Cannes Film Festival. — VNS