Ben trong vo ken vang (Inside the Yellow Cocoon Shell) by Vietnamese director Pham Thien An won the best feature film award at the 21st Asian Film Festival in Rome, Italy.

According to Vietnamese Ambassador to Italy Duong Hai Hung, this is the first time a Vietnamese film has won the top prize at an Asian film festival in Italy.

He said this was a great honor for the director, actors, actresses, and the entire crew, and thanked them for helping to confirm the development of Vietnamese cinematography on the international stage, and for promoting cultural exchange, understanding and friendship between the Vietnamese and Italian people.

Vietnamese Ambassador to Italy Duong Hai Hung (second left) represents the film crew to accept the award for Best Feature Film. Photo: VNA

The film follows the journey of a young man tasked with returning the body of his sister-in-law to her rural hometown after a tragic motorcycle accident. Amidst the mystical landscapes of rural Vietnam, he begins a search for his older brother, who disappeared years ago.
Inside the Yellow Cocoon Shell, which won the Caméra d'Or (Golden Camera) at the 76th Cannes Film Festival, is undoubtedly one of the most important films of the season, according to Antonio Terminini, director of the Asian Film Festival in Italy.
He acknowledged that Vietnam's cinematography has made great strides, not only with the emergence of young directors such as Pham Thien An of Inside the Yellow Cocoon Shell but also with great potential in developing production cooperation with European countries, as well as Asian countries such as Singapore, the Philippines, Thailand and many other partners in the East.
The Asian Film Festival in Italy, organized by the Fondation Robert Bresson, is a showcase for the best new films from East Asia. It is also an occasion for guests, including directors, actors/actresses, and producers from different countries, to meet Italian producers and distributors and discuss opportunities for cooperation.

The three main themes of this year's Asian Film Festival in Italy are topical issues such as the status of women, the process of growing up through stories about teenagers, and violence in many other forms.