A scene from short film Chu Be 8 Tuoi (8-Year-Old Boy) by Anh Poly. — Photo Wildfest

HA NOI (VNS) — A short film competition titled WildFest, which aims to spread awareness about wildlife products particularly rhino horns, has just announced the final short film selections after a three-month submission period.

The WildFest received submissions from filmmakers in Viet Nam, as well as from international filmmakers in South Africa, Thailand, Malaysia and Australia.

The official line up includes 17 films which will be shown as part of WildFest, including 11 films in competition, three films out of competition and three by invited filmmakers. All the films are available online at www.wildfest.org.

The films in competition include When the Gardens Grow Silent (by Mzung), A Rhino Horn Story (Hoan Nguyen) and The Interview (Nguyen Minh Huy).

The three films out of competition are Viet Nam's Chance to Save the Rhino (Vicky & Ness), Horn (Nguyen Cong Danh) and A Strange War (Mzung).

Invited films include Nightmare (Nguyen Quang Dung), Who is Alive, Hands Up! (Nguyen Hoang Diep) and Rhino Man (Bao Nguyen).

The awards ceremony is planned at the Thang Long Citadel Complex in downtown Ha Noi on November 1, where the winning films and the films made by invited filmmakers will be screened outdoors. There will also be live performances by well-known artists and attended by film stars.

The awards will include a Grand Prize of VND50 million (US$2,200), a Special Prize of VND25 million and a Press & Critics Choice Award of VND25 million.

WildFest is part of operation Game Chance (OGC) – an alliance between the United States and Viet Nam aimed at ending wildlife crime, especially rhino horn trafficking by raising awareness among Vietnamese consumers. The ambassadors of OGC WildFest are director Charlie Nguyen, actress Hong Anh, MC Anh Tuan and MC Thuy Minh. — VNS