HA NOI — The Vietnamese International Film Festival (ViFF) is inviting entries for next year's event on its website www.VietFilmFest.com.

Features, documentaries, cartoons and music video clips by Vietnamese directors from all over the world are eligible to apply. Films can feature topics of the directors' choosing, and don't necessarily have to involve Viet Nam.

Work by foreign directors must be based on the Vietnamese people or culture, and should have English subtitles.

Application forms can be downloaded from the website and the final selection results will be announced in March next year.

The ViFF will accept rough cuts (drafts) before December 1, 2012, while completed films must be submitted before April 2013.

Since 2003, the ViFF has been the biggest Vietnamese cinema film festival outside of Viet Nam, organised by two non-benefit organisations: the Vietnamese American Arts&Letter Association and the Vietnamese Language and Culture club.

The ViFF 2013 will take place between April 4 – 7 and April 11-14 at the University of California, Irvine (UCI) and the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) and Bowers Museum, Santa Ana.

The opening ceremony will be held at the Edwards University Cinema 6 (Ivrine).

The theme for next year's event is Flashback/Flashforward, reviewing a decade of Vietnamese cinema and looking to the future of the art.

As it has done every year, the ViFF will present its Grand Jury Awards, the Trong Dong (Bronze Drum) Award for Best Feature Film and Best Short Film, as well as awards for Best Actor and Best Actress. Audience members will also have a chance to vote for the Audience Choice Award for features and short films. All awards will be announced on the closing night of the festival. — VNS