Short film won first prize at the International Student Film Festival: Message on protecting the living environment

The image of clear rivers flowing peacefully under lush green forests, suddenly turning black, filled with garbage as if wanting to destroy all life, haunts viewers, thereby urging change to save the environment. This is one of the scenes from one of the works awarded first prize at the ISMA International Student Film Festival 2025.

The work called Used to Be Green by a group of students from Van Lang University was awarded first prize in the AI Narrative category at the closing ceremony and awards ceremony of the ISMA 2025 International Student Film Festival, which took place last night (July 29) at Van Lang University.

ISMA (International Student Media Art Festival) is an international student film festival held annually since 2017, targeting students majoring in modern arts and media. This is the first time this festival has been held in Vietnam, hosted by Van Lang University, in collaboration with the ISMA Association and international partner schools.

The first prizes of the four categories went to students from the US, China and Vietnam - PHOTO: TM

This year's festival, themed "River - Environment and People", attracted 121 works from 37 universities in 8 countries including the US, Korea, Japan, France, Thailand, China, Iran and Vietnam. The works competed in 4 categories: Short Film, Animation, Interactive Art and AI Narrative.

The jury, consisting of 13 domestic and international experts, scored according to 6 criteria: script content, art direction, visual techniques, art design, sound and music processing, and innovation in presentation.

The organizing committee selected 36 best works, with a structure of 4 first prizes, 9 second prizes, 15 third prizes and 8 awards. Vietnam had 10 winning works from Van Lang University and Ho Chi Minh City University of Theatre and Cinema.

In particular, the work Used to Be Green (Van Lang University - AI Narration) uses environmental data and artificial intelligence to recount the journey of urban transformation.

The film sends the message "Rivers are the only source of life and prosperity, now becoming victims of human greed. If we do not change today, tomorrow will be nothing more than a dead land", calling for environmental protection awareness, won first prize in the AI Narrative category.

Life under the river is destroyed by pollution (work Used to Be Green ) - PHOTO: SCREENSHOT

A haunting footage of the work Used to Be Green - PHOTO: SCREENSHOT

Meanwhile, the work Syn-Flow (Wuhan University of Technology, China) exploited interactive language to express emotional movement in digital space, winning first prize in the Interactive Art category.

The work A Conversation with a Chair (Peking University, China) conquered the council with its minimalist yet philosophical storytelling, winning first prize in the Short Film category. With poetic footage recounting memories of the hometown river with subtle emotions and skillful animation techniques, the work When the River Calls (Cleveland State University, USA) won first prize in the Animation category.

Students from different countries had the opportunity to exchange, learn, demonstrate creative thinking and responsibility to the community through films about the environment - PHOTO: TM

In addition to the main competition, ISMA 2025 also organized a 72-Hour Workshop in Ho Chi Minh City with the participation of 8 international student groups. Within 72 hours, the groups produced short films at typical locations such as wharves, traditional markets, riverside residential areas, etc. under the direct guidance of international lecturers. The workshop applied the Design Thinking method to encourage problem-solving and field creativity.

Master, artist Phan Quan Dung, Dean of the Faculty of Fine Arts & Design, Head of the ISMA Organizing Committee, commented: "The International Student Film Festival has the mission of honoring young film talents, promoting cultural exchange and inspiring creativity in the global student community. Every film, every idea, every character that appears is the result of passion, learning spirit and outstanding creativity".

Associate Professor, Dr. Tran Thi My Dieu, President of Van Lang University, assessed the activities at ISMA 2025 to affirm the important role of media arts in today's world . "This is a powerful form of expression that not only entertains us but also raises awareness of urgent social and environmental issues, calling on us to think critically and act collectively," Associate Professor, Dr. My Dieu shared.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/phim-ngan-giai-nhat-lhp-sinh-vien-quoc-te-thong-diep-bao-ve-moi-truong-song-185250730002126245.htm