A Vietnamese film based on the war diary of a martyred resistance army medic has won the Audience Award at an international film festival in Japan.

In a vote among audience members, Dung dot (Don’t Burn It), directed by Dang Nhat Minh, beat out 22 other films screened September 19-21 at the Fukuoka International Film Festival’s first exhibition, according to the event’s website.

The book that the film was based on, the Diary of Dang Thuy Tram, had previously been translated into Japanese under the title “Yesterday I Dreamt of Peace.”

The film’s screenings were crowded with Japanese fans, Vietnamese English-language newspaper Viet Nam News reported.

The diary has been published in 14 other countries in different translations.

Kicked off on September 18, the ten-day festival is hosting participants from 16 Asian countries and territories. Vietnamese participants submitted two films – Dung dot and Huyen thoai bat tu (The Legend is Alive) directed by Luu Huynh.

Last year, Vietnam’s Ao lua Ha Dong (The White Silk Dress), also by Luu Huynh, was named one of the ten best films of the festival.

The annual event began in 1991 as part of the Focus on Asia-Fukuoka International Film Festival held in Fukuoka City. Some 30 Vietnamese films have been screened at the festival since 1996.

Source: Tuoi Tre