At the end of June each year, Da Nang seems to gain a new rhythm alongside its familiar ocean waves. The red carpet unfolds in front of Ariyana Convention Centre Danang, films are screened one after another at cinema complexes across the city, and meetings among filmmakers and artists from different cinematic backgrounds take place quietly yet meaningfully. That is the Da Nang Asian Film Festival – DANAFF, an annual international film event in Vietnam, and also one of the factors gradually contributing to shaping greater cultural depth for the city’s tourism.

DANAFF IV 2026 – The Largest Edition to Date

Taking place from June 28 to July 4, 2026 under the theme “A Bridge from Asia to the World”, DANAFF IV brings together more than 100 films and approximately 200 screenings at cinema complexes in Da Nang, marking the festival’s largest-scale edition since its inception. The event is co-organized by the Da Nang City People’s Committee and the Vietnam Film Development Association (VFDA), attracting more than 1,000 delegates, artists, filmmakers, and guests from Vietnam and abroad.

The opening ceremony on the evening of June 28 at Ariyana Convention Centre Danang featured the presence of many renowned artists, including Ji Chang Wook, Jung Il Woo, Park Sung Woong, Han Dong Hee, and Turkish actress Tuba Büyüküstün, along with Vietnamese artists such as People’s Artist Như Quỳnh, People’s Artist Hoàng Cúc, Đỗ Hải Yến, and Liên Bỉnh Phát. Notably, veteran Hollywood producer Bill Mechanic – who played a role in bringing 20th Century Fox back to a leading global position and was involved in the production of works such as “Titanic” and the “Star Wars” film series – received the Cinema Achievement Award at DANAFF 2026. He also directly led the “Producing Masterclass” on the morning of July 1 at Furama Resort Đà Nẵng, sharing filmmaking experience and global distribution strategies with young Vietnamese filmmakers.

DANAFF IV brings together artists and filmmakers from many Asian countries and around the world

In the competition categories, this year’s festival introduces 13 Asian films and 11 Vietnamese films, alongside the “Panorama of Asian Cinema” program with 21 works and “Vietnamese Cinema Today” featuring 26 films. Another highlight is the Focus on American Cinema program with special screenings, as well as a conversation between director Charlie Nguyễn and actress Ana Thu Nguyễn from “Mortal Kombat II”.

DANAFF Is More Than a Film Festival

Speaking at the press conference announcing the event, Vice Chairwoman of the Da Nang City People’s Committee Nguyễn Thị Anh Thi emphasized that after three editions, DANAFF has gradually affirmed its position as a signature cultural and cinematic event of the city, while also becoming a meeting point for exchange among the domestic and international film community. She noted that DANAFF IV continues to reflect Da Nang’s aspiration to build an open, dynamic, and creative cultural space, where cinema is not only honored as an art form but also serves as a bridge connecting people and cultures, helping promote the image of Da Nang to regional and global friends.

DANAFF is more than a Film Festival; its screenings bring audiences closer to cinema. (Source: Da Nang Newspaper)

This is the core difference between DANAFF and purely entertainment-driven tourism events: the film festival carries a layer of cultural and intellectual value alongside its appeal to visitors. In addition to screenings, DANAFF IV also hosts three thematic seminars on the identity of Vietnamese cinema during the Đổi Mới period, the application of artificial intelligence in cinema, and the development model of the American film industry. These academic discussions help position Da Nang not only as a resort destination but also as a regional center for creative dialogue.

In addition, this year’s festival continues its outdoor screening program with 5 films shown across 7 screenings at APEC Park Da Nang, Da Nang Cultural and Cinema Centre, Hòa Khánh Administrative Centre Square, Tam Thanh Beach, and Sông Hoài Square in Hội An. This brings the cinematic experience closer to local communities and visitors, rather than limiting it to enclosed cinema spaces. At the same time, the DANAFF Booth is located at APEC Park – a central position in the city near the Dragon Bridge and the Hàn River – creating a new check-in destination that connects cinema with businesses, brands, and film-loving audiences.

Direct Impact on the Hospitality and Service Sectors

DANAFF’s appeal to the tourism industry goes beyond the numbers seen on the red carpet. According to observations from the hotel sector, the 2026 summer peak season – which coincided with both the Da Nang International Fireworks Festival (DIFF) and DANAFF – created a clear combined effect. A representative of the Da Nang Tourism Association stated that during the summer peak season, the effect of the Da Nang International Fireworks Festival and the Da Nang Asian Film Festival acted like a “magnet” attracting visitors, helping accommodation occupancy rates remain high despite certain fluctuations from traditional international markets.

A film festival organized at the right scale does not only generate revenue during the few days of the event. Its impact extends much further: hotels have more reasons to fill their rooms, restaurants and local services are drawn into the flow of activity, conference and creative spaces become more vibrant, and most importantly, the city gains another story to appear on the international media map.

Yet perhaps its deeper value lies elsewhere. Da Nang does not only need more visitors; it needs the right groups of visitors: those willing to spend on quality experiences, stay longer, and carry stories about the city with them when they leave. This is exactly the segment that cultural and artistic tourism can reach, if developed systematically and consistently over time.

Positioning a Cultural Brand, with Value Beyond Revenue Figures

Speaking at the opening ceremony of DANAFF IV, Deputy Prime Minister Phạm Thị Thanh Trà remarked that within a short period of time, the film festival has quickly built credibility, become a bridge between Vietnamese cinema and the region, and made positive contributions to the international integration of the country’s film industry. Meanwhile, according to Dr. Ngô Phương Lan, Chairwoman of VFDA and Co-Head of the Organizing Committee, while the first three DANAFF editions were built around the message “Asian Bridge”, the fourth edition expanded its theme to “A Bridge from Asia to the World”, reflecting the aspiration to bring regional cinema into deeper integration with global cinema.

The fact that a coastal city long known for resort tourism and fireworks festivals is now becoming a destination for international film stars, Hollywood producers, and cross-border co-production projects marks a notable transformation in Da Nang’s cultural tourism development strategy. As Nguyễn Thị Anh Thi noted at the opening ceremony, the film festival is not only a cinematic event but also holds strategic significance in the process of building the city’s cultural brand.

The presence of DANAFF also adds a missing piece to Da Nang’s tourism picture: knowledge-based and creative tourism. While DIFF draws crowds through visual experiences in the night sky, DANAFF attracts another group of visitors – film lovers, media professionals, cultural and creative investors – audiences who tend to stay longer, spend on high-quality experiences, and return multiple times. This direction is also aligned with the city’s broader strategy to diversify tourism products, reduce dependence on seasonality, and target high-spending visitors through MICE tourism, event tourism, and cultural-creative tourism.

DANAFF Talents as a Launchpad for Young Asian Cinema

One aspect that is less often mentioned but holds long-term significance for Da Nang’s cultural positioning is the DANAFF Talents program. In 2026, more than 350 applications were submitted to the DANAFF Talents Project Incubator, with the Asian Art Film category featuring 10 projects from countries including Japan, South Korea, Bangladesh, Kyrgyzstan, and ASEAN nations. Outstanding projects will continue to be developed through two international workshops in Thailand in September 2026 and France in December 2026, opening opportunities for collaboration with European co-producers.

Da Nang becoming the starting point for a transnational film training and networking platform not only brings immediate media value during the festival days, but also creates a long-term cultural legacy: the image of a city associated with creativity, innovation, and the role of a regional connection hub – values that a sustainable cultural tourism brand needs, alongside blue seas, white sand, and light festivals.

Lessons for Sustainable Cultural Tourism Development

Looking back at four editions of the festival, it can be seen that DANAFF is contributing to Da Nang’s tourism landscape in three clear ways. First is the seasonal synergy effect: taking place close to DIFF from late June to July, DANAFF helps extend and enrich the peak summer event season, allowing accommodation providers to maintain stable occupancy instead of relying only on a few short holiday periods. Second is the expansion of customer segments: alongside traditional beach resort visitors, the film festival attracts cultural and artistic audiences, international media, and the young Asian filmmaking community – a segment with high added value for the tourism and service ecosystem. Third is long-term brand positioning: the continuous organization and expansion of the festival year after year is helping Da Nang gradually affirm its position as a destination for regional-level cultural and creative events, moving beyond the image of a “livable city” or a “resort paradise”.

In summer 2026, the DIFF and DANAFF event series created a vibrant peak tourism season in Da Nang

With what has been demonstrated through DANAFF IV 2026, it can be said that this film festival is gradually becoming one of the new pillars of Da Nang’s cultural tourism – where cinema not only tells stories on screen, but also continues writing the development story of the very city where it takes place.

______o0o______
𝐀𝐫𝐢𝐲𝐚𝐧𝐚 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐂𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐞 𝐃𝐚𝐧𝐚𝐧𝐠 – Vietnam’s Leading Events Destination
Zalo: https://bit.ly/Ariyana_Zalo_Official_Account
𝐀: 107 Vo Nguyen Giap, Ngu Hanh Son Ward, Danang.
𝐓: (+84)236 651 8888
𝐄: events@ariyanacentre.com
𝐖: www.ariyanacentre.com

#AriyanaConventionCentre #Ariyana #MICE #Ariyanadanang #Ariyana #enjoydanang #MICE #MICEExpo #virtualtour #360ACC #360tour #OnetouchtoAriyana #workinganniversary#bestplacetowork