Hanoi Academy of Theatre and Cinema (HATC) was founded on December 17th 1980 under the Decision numbered 372/CP of the Government. The Academy was merged into by Vietnam Film School and Vietnam Theatre School which were founded in 1959.

In 1995, the Academy accepted two units governed by the Ministry of Culture and Information (now is Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism): Vietnam Theatre Institute and Vietnam Film Tertiary School to establish Institute of Theatre and Cinema, and Department of Technique, Technology for Cinema and Television (now is Department of Technology for Cinema and Television).

With the consent of the Government, Ministry of Education and Training, since 2000 the Academy has opened Master courses: Critic and History in Theatre and Film-Television. Afterwards, Doctor of Critic and History in Theatre and Cinema began the first course in 2012.

With many training levels: from higher education to post graduation, the Academy has become the leading educational center of the country in the fields of Theatre, Cinema, Film Technology, Photography, Theatre and Film Design, Sound and Light, Dancing and Television. Many students have worked in many art units; the others now become the People’s Artists, Distinguished Artists, famous actors, actresses, professors or researchers in the fields of Art.

- Department of Cinematography is training the Bachelor Degree in the disciplines: Directing, Cinematography, Screenwriting, Film Theory, Cinema Production (the second Bachelor in 02 years under in the collaboration with INSAS, Belgium graduated in 2023)

- Department of Television is training the Bachelor Degree in the disciplines: Directing, Cinematography, and TV editor.

-   Department of Drama is training the Bachelor Degree in the disciplines of Acting, Stage directing, Playwriting, Theatre theory & critic, Events and Festivals directing, Sound and Light directing.

- Department of Traditional Theatre is training the Bachelor Degree in the disciplines: Traditional Playwriting, Cheo acting, Cai luong acting, Tuong acting, Puppet acting, traditional musician.

- Department of Theatre and Film Design is training the Bachelor Degree in the disciplines: Theatre Design, Film Design, Costume Design, Animation, Make-up and Graphic & effect design.

- Department of Dance is training the Bachelor Degree in the disciplines: Choreography, Dancing training and Choreography for mass public

- Department of Photography is training the Bachelor Degree in the discipline of Photography art, Photographic press and Photography for multi media.

- Department of Technology for Cinema and Television is training the Bachelor degree in the disciplines: Sound and Film editing.

- Postgraduate training is the leading academic unit of the whole country at Master and Doctor Degree in the disciplines: Critic and History in Theatre and Film-Television.

- In-Service training is training for officers and learners in the disciplines: Acting, Stage directing, Film and TV directing, Film and TV Cinematography, and Film producing.

- Department of General knowledge is training for disciplines: Marxist and Leninist philosophy, Literature, History, Physical education...

With the development of Vietnam’s higher education, in near future there will be more schools taking part in training Cinema, Theatre, Photography, Theatre Design, Film Design, Costume Design, Animation Design, Editing, Dancing and Television. However, HATC is much experienced in Art training and it has gathered many excellent artists and researchers in Cinema and Theatre throughout the country.

Beside 08 Departments with more than 40 disciplines of Art and Cinema Technique, the Academy also has an Institute of Theatre & Cinema, a Practical Centre for Theatre and Cinema, a Centre for Information and Library, a Centre of Foreign languages and Informatics, which support academic training.

Basing on the position of such a leading Academy in the whole country from Bachelor to Doctor Degree in Cinema and Theatre, HATC not only has cooperated with many Film companies, Theatres, television stations and many cultural departments throughout the country but also cooperate and exchange with many countries such as: Australia, China, Republic of Korea, Japan, Singapore, Austria, Belgium, France, Russia, America, Britain, Germany, Sweden, Norway…in the fields of Theatre, Cinema and Television.

With the Government’s and Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism’s support, the material facilities of the Academy have been improved and become the Key institution of the Ministry in Theatre and Cinema. HATC continues strengthen the academic curriculum as well as develop teaching methodology and expanse the programs to satisfy the social demand.

In recent years, HATC has strengthened documents, curriculum, teaching methodology and teaching aids to meet the high demand of social development.

In addition, the Academy is the official member of ATEC (Asia Theatre Education Centre), CILECT (The International Association of Film and Television Schools) and ASEA UNINET (ASEAN-EUROPEAN Academic University Network) in order to exchange experience not only in training but in managing, which helps to enhance the effectiveness in academic training for students.

The current Director of Hanoi Academy of Theatre and Cinema is A.Prof. Dr. Nguyen Dinh Thi - People teacher. His major is in the field of Theatrical directing.