Singapore – Discovery Networks Asia-Pacific announced the five winners of its First Time Filmmakers (FTFM) Vietnam initiative, at a press conference held in Hanoi. The five talented filmmakers will each be commissioned to produce a 30-minute documentary showcasing Vietnam’s urban transition and its remarkable transformation from a rural-based society to an emerging force in the Asian regional economy. The completed documentaries are scheduled to premiere across Asia-Pacific on Discovery Channel late next year, reaching more than 165 million households in the region. The five winning filmmakers are Nguyen Manh Ha, Phan Duy Linh, Phan Y Ly, Dao Thanh Tung and Hoang Manh Cuong. 12 participants from the FTFM Vietnam initiative were shortlisted from over 60 proposals received from all over Vietnam. These filmmakers were invited by Discovery Channel to pitch their proposals to the judges at a special session. The judges comprised of producers from Discovery Networks Asia-Pacific and Uproar Asia, as well as senior representatives from The Ford Foundation and the Cinema Department. The five final proposals were selected for their originality, quality, creativity and vision, as well as their relevance to the theme. FTFM Vietnam is a collaboration between Discovery Channel and Uproar Asia, made possible by a grant from The Ford Foundation. RedBridge is the local partner for the project.