Viet Film Fest

What Viet Film Fest does

Viet Film Fest, established in 2003, is the largest international Vietnamese film festival in the Vietnamese diaspora, operating as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit under VAALA (Vietnamese American Arts & Letters Association). Based in Fountain Valley/Santa Ana, California—within Orange County's Vietnamese-American population center—the festival curates and screens Vietnamese and Vietnamese-diaspora cinema on an annual cycle. It receives 100+ film submissions from international Vietnamese filmmakers each year and selects approximately 60 films for programming, with the 2024 edition posting record attendance and the 2025 edition marking the 23rd consecutive year of operation.

The festival runs a hybrid distribution model: virtual screenings are delivered through the Eventive streaming platform, while in-person screenings are anchored at physical venues such as Frida Cinema in Orange County. Programming spans narrative features, documentaries, and short films, supplemented by filmmaker conversations and a gala awards ceremony. Operations are volunteer-driven, with reported personnel count of 51–100 reflecting a volunteer-heavy structure typical of small cultural-arts nonprofits rather than a paid-staff organization.

Revenue is diversified across individual ticket sales ($15–$18), a premium Cinephile Pass tier ($150), gala admission ($85), film submission fees, corporate sponsorships, and donor contributions. The organization serves three constituencies: filmmakers seeking visibility in the diaspora market (supply side), Vietnamese-diaspora audiences concentrated primarily in Southern California (demand side), and cultural/community sponsors and donors aligned with Vietnamese-arts mission-driven funding. The model is event-cyclical rather than subscription-cyclical, with annual budget scale inferred to be under $1M.

Name

Viet Film Fest

Legal name

Vietnamese American Arts and Letters Association (VAALA)

Website

https://vietfilmfest.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2003

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Viet Film Fest is the largest international Vietnamese film festival in the diaspora, curating and screening Vietnamese and Vietnamese-diaspora cinema annually since 2003 under nonprofit operator VAALA.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Film Festival

NAICS

Promoters of Performing Arts, Sports, and Similar Events with Facilities (711310), Motion Picture and Video Exhibition (51213)

SIC

Services-Motion Picture Theaters (7830)

akta.pro primary industry

Film Festivals & Festival Organizers (MPADAKAD)

akta.pro secondary industry

Virtual Community Festivals & Cultural Events (Online Celebrations) (MPAGAOAK)

Keywords

• Vietnamese film festival
• Independent film showcase
• Cultural arts programming
• Diaspora film events
• Film awards ceremony

Headquarters

HQ city

Fountain Valley

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Ticket Sales: Revenue from individual screening tickets, special event tickets, and festival passes sold to attendees for both virtual and in-person screenings.
2. Sponsorships: Monetary and in-kind contributions from corporate and individual sponsors supporting the festival's mission to enrich communities through Vietnamese arts and culture.
3. Donations: Tax-deductible donations from supporters to continue uplifting and centering Vietnamese filmmakers and stories.
4. Film Submission Fees: Submission fees from filmmakers entering their work for festival consideration, with discounted rates available for students.
5. Gala Trống Đồng Awards Event: Gala awards ceremony ticket sales (2025: $85) featuring recognition of filmmakers and special programming.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Viet Film Fest is an annual international Vietnamese film festival that curates and screens short and feature-length films by and about Vietnamese people. The festival combines in-person screenings at The Frida Cinema in Santa Ana with virtual at-home screenings via the Eventive platform, complemented by filmmaker Q&A sessions, awards (Bronze Drum / Trống Đồng), gala events, and youth/community programming such as Youth in Motion workshops and Community Day.

Product overview

Viet Film Fest is an annual international film festival operated by the Vietnamese American Arts & Letters Association (VAALA). The festival operates a dual-format model combining virtual at-home screenings via the Eventive platform and in-person screenings at The Frida Cinema in Santa Ana, California. The core offering centers on competitive film programming featuring both short and feature-length Vietnamese cinema, supported by filmmaker Q&A sessions, the Bronze Drum Awards (Giải Trống Đồng), and special events including Opening Night and the Gala Awards ceremony. Additional programming includes the Youth in Motion filmmaking workshop, Community Day events, and artist interview content. Filmmakers submit work through FilmFreeway. The festival celebrates its 23rd year in 2026 as the longest-running and largest Vietnamese international film festival in the diaspora.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Viet Film Fest Annual Festival Annual international Vietnamese film festival showcasing short and feature films by and about Vietnamese people, offering competitive film programming, awards, filmmaker Q&As, and special events. Offered annually as a ticketed and pass-based cultural event.
• Virtual Festival Screening Passes Online at-home screening access during the festival period via the Eventive platform, allowing national and global audiences to watch selected films; includes the $150 Cinephile Pass for full-festival virtual access.
• In-Person Cinema Screenings Physical film screenings at The Frida Cinema in Downtown Santa Ana over three days each October, including short film sets, feature films, and filmmaker Q&A sessions. Tickets sold at $15 for regular screenings and $18 for special events.
• Bronze Drum Awards Ceremony (Giải Trống Đồng / Bronze Drum Gala) Annual awards ceremony and gala event recognizing excellence in Vietnamese cinema across categories including Grand Jury Trống Đồng Award for Best Short Film, Best Feature Film, Best Actor/Actress, Spotlight Award, and (since 2025) Best Cinematography. Tickets priced at $85 per attendee.
• Youth in Motion Program Filmmaking workshop program for emerging young filmmakers as part of the festival's youth engagement and next-generation talent development efforts.
• Community Day Special community-focused programming day open to local Vietnamese-American audiences, integrated into the annual festival schedule as part of special programming.
• Special Events & Panels Curated special events including Opening Night, retrospective screenings, filmmaker networking opportunities, and industry panels accompanying the festival.
• Film Submission Service (via FilmFreeway) Online film submission portal for filmmakers to enter short and feature films into the festival for consideration, with early bird pricing, final deadline pricing, and discounted student rates.

Quantifiable outcome

• 100+ submissions received annually (second consecutive year with 100 submissions in 2025)
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• OC Public LibrariesminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 7 February 2023Special screening partnership with Orange County Public Libraries. Viet Film Fest's Artistic Director Eric Nong hosts curated selection of short films for library audiences, expanding community reach.
• The Frida CinemacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Frida Cinema in Downtown Santa Ana serves as the primary in-person screening venue for Viet Film Fest, hosting all three days of in-person screenings, filmmaker Q&As, and the annual Gala Trống Đồng awards ceremony.
• Bowers MuseumcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrestigious Santa Ana museum venue hosting the Gala Trống Đồng awards ceremony for Viet Film Fest 2025, providing an elegant setting for honoring filmmakers and their work.
• UCLA Film & Television ArchiveminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for film preservation efforts. Screening of 'From Saigon to Dien Bien Phu' (1967) included proceeds donated to UCLA Film & Television Archive for continuing restoration of films produced in Saigon before 1975.
• EventivecoreTechnology or IntegrationVirtual festival platform powering online screenings, ticket sales, and virtual pass management for both in-person and at-home festival access.
• FilmFreewaycoreTechnology or IntegrationFilm submission platform used for festival call for entries, allowing filmmakers worldwide to submit their work for festival consideration through filmfreeway.com/VietFilmFest.
• VAALA (Vietnamese American Arts and Letters Association)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerParent organization founded in 1991. Viet Film Fest is VAALA's largest program, celebrating 30+ years of connecting and enriching communities through Vietnamese arts and culture. VAALA organizes community-centered events including art exhibitions, book signings, music recitals, plays, and its annual Viet Film Fest and Viet Book Fest.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• CAAMFest (Center for Asian American Media Film Festival): Largest Asian American film festival in San Francisco, presenting cinema from Asian and Asian American filmmakers across features, shorts, and documentaries with a hybrid virtual/in-person model. Directly comparable as an ethnic-specific film festival targeting diaspora audiences in California.
• Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival: Annual Asian Pacific American film festival in Los Angeles operated by Visual Communications, featuring narrative, documentary, and short films by AAPI filmmakers. Comparable as a California-based diaspora film festival with screenings, awards, and filmmaker Q&As.
• San Diego Asian Film Festival: Annual Asian and Asian American film festival in Southern California (Pacifica Arts Foundation), featuring competitive film programming, awards, and community events. Comparable as a Southern California diaspora film festival with similar target demographic and community-event structure.
• DC Asian Pacific American Film Festival: Asian Pacific American film festival in Washington, D.C., showcasing works by AAPI filmmakers with screenings, panels, and awards. Comparable as a diaspora-focused film festival with similar programming mix of shorts, features, and filmmaker engagement.
• New York Asian Film Festival: Major annual Asian film festival in New York City featuring contemporary Asian cinema with screenings, awards, and filmmaker appearances. Comparable as an international Asian cinema festival with comparable target audience of cinephiles and diaspora communities.
• Toronto Reel Asian International Film Festival: Annual Asian international film festival in Toronto showcasing cinema from across Asia and the Asian diaspora with in-person screenings and filmmaker engagement. Comparable as a diaspora-focused film festival serving a large Vietnamese and broader Asian community in North America.

Broad incumbents

• Hawaii International Film Festival: Long-running film festival in Honolulu with strong programming for Asian and Pacific Islander cinema alongside broader international features. Comparable as a multi-decade ethnic-focused film festival with similar curatorial emphasis on Asian/Pacific cinema.

Emerging players

• Seattle Asian American Film Festival: Asian American film festival in Seattle featuring short and feature-length films by AAPI filmmakers with community programming. Comparable as a smaller-scale diaspora film festival with similar target demographic and programming model.

Others

• FilmFreeway: Online film submission and festival discovery platform used by over 10,000 festivals worldwide including Viet Film Fest (via filmfreeway.com/VietFilmFest). Comparable as the core technology/integration partner powering VFF's call for entries and filmmaker submissions.
• Eventive: Virtual cinema and festival ticketing platform powering Viet Film Fest's online screenings, passes, and ticketing (e.g., vietfilmfest2025.eventive.org). Comparable as the core technology partner enabling VFF's hybrid in-person + virtual festival format.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@vietfilmfest9619
• Facebookfacebook.com/Vietfilmfest
• Instagraminstagram.com/VietFilmFest
• Xx.com/vietfilmfest

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Viet Film Fest