International Student Media Arts Festival (ISMA) held in Vietnam for the first time, showcasing global student talents in the field of media arts.
The 6th International Student Movie Awards (ISMA 2025) recently took place at Văn Lang University (VLU) in Ho Chi Minh City, marking a significant milestone as the first time this prestigious global academic and artistic event has been held in Vietnam.
ISMA 2025 gathered 121 creative works from 37 universities spanning eight countries and territories, fostering a rich platform for young artists worldwide to engage in media arts that explore critical contemporary themes such as urbanization, climate change, and human connectivity in a globalized context.
The event's theme, "Environment, Rivers and People," reflects pressing global environmental and social issues, inviting student works across diverse media genres like Short Film, Animation Art, AI Narrative, and Interactive Art. This thematic focus encourages innovative artistic expression and discourse at the intersection of technology, society, and environment, contributing to the advancement of media arts and raising awareness among emerging artists and audiences globally.
The comprehensive program of ISMA 2025 includes a Media Art Contest, a 72-Hour Workshop, and an Academic Forum. These components promote hands-on creativity, critical discussion, and international networking, thereby strengthening academic exchange and collaboration among institutions in the arts sector.
Notably, entries in Animation and AI Narrative highlight the creative integration of emerging technologies in storytelling. The 72-Hour Workshop brings together eight international student teams to co-create short films inspired by the festival's central theme.
The Academic Forum at ISMA 2025 featured presentations from scholars at institutions such as Kookmin University, Middle Tennessee State University, Peking University, Zhejiang University, and the Central Academy of Drama. Topics discussed included media arts education in the digital era and the integration of artificial intelligence into creative disciplines.
Yang Jianhua, president of ISMA and a member of the organising committee, emphasised the event's mission of cultural exchange and artistic innovation. He stated, "At ISMA, there is no language barrier, only the shared resonance of creativity."
Van Lang University, with partnerships with over 30 international institutions, especially in South Korea, played a pivotal role in hosting ISMA 2025. By doing so, they demonstrated their capability to organize major international academic events, which elevates Vietnam's profile in the global academic and creative communities and fosters cross-cultural understanding and innovation in media arts education.
In summary, ISMA 2025’s significance lies in its role as a premier international platform facilitating global student creativity, academic exchange, and cultural dialogue in media arts, while situating Vietnam as an important hub within this global network.
[References] 1. ISMA 2025 Official Website 2. Van Lang University Press Release 3. Vietnam News Article 4. Korea Herald Article 5. Asia Times Article
- AI technology was integrated into several entries at the ISMA 2025, demonstrating its potential in modern storytelling.
- The academic forum at ISMA 2025 addressed the integration of artificial intelligence into creative disciplines, highlighting its growing importance in education and self-development.
- ISMA 2025 fostered a rich platform for exploring critical contemporary themes, such as climate change and urbanization, through various media arts genres like animation and short film.
- The event's focus on the environment, rivers, and people encourages discourse at the intersection of technology, society, and environment, promoting innovation in media arts education.
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