Ho Chi Minh City generated 500 million USD in box office revenue last year, accounting for 40% of Vietnam’s cinema market - a strong foundation for its bid to join the UNESCO Creative Cities Network. This was highlighted at an international seminar on Saturday discussing the city's application.
Pham Binh An, Deputy Director of the HCM City Institute for Development Studies, introduces HCM City’s film industry at the seminar on February 16, 2025. (Photo: nhandan.vn)
Pham Binh An, Deputy Director of the HCM City Institute for Development Studies, said that the local film industry includes 935 enterprises, employs over 9,000 people, and contributes 0.43% to the city’s GRDP. HCM City is home to 10 cinema chains, 52 multiplexes, and various cultural spaces serving local communities.
To further develop the sector, municipal authorities plan to invest 16.7 million USD in a film studio complex, promote film education in schools, establish creative spaces for filmmakers, and launch an annual international film festival.
If approved, HCM City will become the UNESCO Creative Cities Network’s first City of Film in Vietnam and Southeast Asia.
VOVWORLD - vovworld.vn - Feb 16, 2025
