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When young hotheads make films, is there enough depth?
The directors of the Hanoi Cinematography Club are all 17 to 18 years old, the age the elders call "still wet behind the ears," not yet fully fed, not yet fully aware. And yet their films all carry messages that go beyond their age. Perspectives on the invisible pressures of life, from young love to family affection to self-imposed pressure, are all turned into cinema in an interesting way.
Đặng Minh Nam's "Love Letters" is far more mature and reflective than the director's age or even his own personality would suggest. "Love Letters" searches for an answer to the question of whether someone who has never loved can write the melodies of love. The storytelling is fairly conventional and the script predictable, but the film focuses on light, color, and authenticity, from the setting to the emotions to the performances of its entirely non-professional cast.
The film's music is quite striking. It is never loud or showy, beginning tentatively, with a touch of nervousness, then swelling powerfully once it finds its true love, drawing all attention, before settling back into calm. This is perhaps "Love Letters"'s most interesting artistic device, a way of making an impression that is both distinctive and effective.
"Love Letters" also carries the metaphor that real music does not have to be academic, and that real love is not far away. Whether in music or in romantic love, love only comes alive when you truly find yourself in it. Perhaps that is precisely the quiet ache of a generation, an age, just beginning to search for its own true love.

Lighting the Fire of Passion

For young filmmakers, Red Carpet is truly a major boost. The HCC team, which won second place, shared that their filmmaking journey was demanding but brought many valuable experiences. They had to reshoot the same scene dozens of times just to get one shot they were happy with. Yet it was exactly this level of rigor that helped the whole team grow, learning patience, mutual respect, and how to stand by their own artistic vision.

Đặng Minh Nam of the HCC team said: "For me personally, as someone deeply passionate about cinema who wants to contribute to Vietnamese cinema, a platform like this is a truly valuable experience."

Last night, at the invitation of the President of the Hanoi Cinematography Club, my daughter and I went to watch 4 short films by young directors.
I was truly surprised and a little moved to see that these kids, still in high school, could already tell stories in their own cinematic language. Each film had its own color, its own way of expressing itself, its own perspective. Watching them was both enjoyable and made me think, these kids these days are so talented.
Of the 4 films, I was especially impressed by "Love Letters" by director Đặng Minh Nam.
The film's color and lighting were beautiful. The music was great. The actors performed naturally. There were funny moments, moody moments, and some very dreamy, soaring passages… It all came together quite gently and gracefully.
I've watched all of Nam's previous films, so perhaps that's why I could sense even more clearly the change in "Love Letters" If his earlier films were the passionate experiments of a young man who loves cinema, this one shows that Nam has matured in his storytelling, his perspective, and his filmmaking.
Congratulations, Nam, the boy with the beautiful smile. I hope you keep holding onto your passion and find brilliant success on the path you've chosen!

Đặng Minh Nam, President of the runner-up filmmaking team from the Hanoi Cinematography Club, said: "For me personally, as someone deeply passionate about cinema, I want to contribute to Vietnamese and world cinema. This isn't the only award our team has achieved, but rather a goal to aim toward even greater successes."