For Varan Vietnam, the nomination of “20 Years of Varan Vietnam” for the 2025 – 2026 edition is a great honor. It recognizes not only a commemorative series of activities, but also a long and enduring journey: the journey of direct documentary cinema, of independent filmmakers, of generations of participants, trainers, collaborators, partners, and audiences who have together shaped a vibrant documentary community over the past two decades.

The year 2025 marks the 20th anniversary of the Varan documentary filmmaking workshop in Vietnam. Since its first edition in Ho Chi Minh City in 2005, Varan has become an important space for learning, practice, and exchange for many independent documentary filmmakers in the country. Over these twenty years, the program has contributed to nurturing some of the first generations of Vietnamese documentary directors who have pursued the method of direct cinema – an approach that places people, real life, and lived moments at the center of the filmmaking process.

For Varan, documentary filmmaking is not simply about presenting a story that already exists. It is a process of observing, being present, listening, and patiently accompanying one’s characters. The filmmaker enters life not to impose a conclusion, but to search for truth in small movements, silences, encounters, gestures, glances, and everyday moments. This spirit has shaped the identity of Varan in Vietnam: a filmmaking practice that respects reality, respects the characters, and respects the complexity of life.

The 20th anniversary program of Varan Vietnam was organized as an opportunity to look back, express gratitude, and continue expanding this journey. As part of the program, the workshop in Hanoi brought together eight young directors, resulting in eight new short documentary films. Each film offers a distinct fragment of life, a personal way of approaching characters and reality, and, at the same time, a testament to the continuing vitality of the Varan spirit among a new generation of filmmakers.

In addition to the workshop, the anniversary screenings took place across several cultural and educational venues in Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi, including 419.CINEBAR, Ho Chi Minh City University of Theatre and Cinema, Fulbright University Vietnam, CineART SKDA, the Center for Assistance and Development of Movie Talents, Goethe-Institut Hanoi, White Light Cinéhub, and CinEscape. These screenings did more than bring films to audiences. They created encounters between generations of filmmakers, between students and mentors, between artists and the public, between accumulated creative experience and the new questions that continue to emerge.

Alongside the screenings, Varan Vietnam also organized fundraising activities to support film characters, talks, discussions, and other sharing sessions. These activities reflect the community spirit that has always been central to Varan’s journey. A documentary film is not created by the director or the crew alone. It is also made possible by the trust of the characters, the support of a community, the openness of audiences, and the generosity of those who believe in the value of documentary cinema.

In the increasingly diverse landscape of contemporary art in Vietnam, Varan Vietnam’s presence among the nominees of HANOI GRAPEVINE’s FINEST 2025 – 2026 carries a special significance. It is a recognition of a model of cinematic training and practice that does not prioritize speed, visibility, or communication impact over human experience, but remains committed to observation, care, and the depth of reality. It is also a recognition of documentary cinema as an art form capable of connecting people, opening social dialogue, and preserving the subtle movements of contemporary Vietnamese life.

Varan Vietnam would like to express its sincere gratitude to Hanoi Grapevine, the Passionate Audience Council, the audience community, our partners, screening venues, universities, cultural organizations, trainers, participants, filmmakers, film characters, and friends who have accompanied the project “20 Years of Varan Vietnam.” Every presence, every conversation, every screening, and every film is part of this shared journey.

The nomination for HANOI GRAPEVINE’s FINEST 2025–2026 is a meaningful milestone, but it is also a reminder that the journey of Varan Vietnam continues. After twenty years, the most important thing is not only to look back at what has been created, but also to keep opening new spaces for young filmmakers, for untold stories, for unheard characters, and for new ways of seeing life.

From this 20-year milestone, Varan Vietnam hopes to continue accompanying generations of documentary filmmakers in Vietnam, nurturing the spirit of direct observation, sensitivity to reality, and belief in the power of cinema as a means of connection, understanding, and sharing.

For Varan Vietnam, this nomination is a joy, an encouragement, and an expression of gratitude. We believe that the vitality of documentary cinema lies not only in the films that have been completed, but also in the encounters those films create, the memories they preserve, and the questions they continue to raise for audiences, filmmakers, and life itself.