German Film Festival in Vietnam 2011

The German Film Festival in Vietnam 2011 will take place from September 16 to October 17 in six major cities across Vietnam, including Hanoi, Haiphong, Hue, Danang, HCM City and Can Tho.

Films by directors such as Doris Dorrie, Marco Kreuzpainter, Alain Gsponer, and Detlev Buck will be screened at the event, which is part of German Year in Vietnam.

In Hanoi, the films will be shown free to the public at the National Cinema Centre.

My Son tower to get $450,000 facelift

The Quang Nam Province People’s Committee has approved a VND9 billion (US$450,000) program to restore a relic at the My Son Holy Land, a fourth century Cham sanctuary.  

Restoration of the E7 Tower will be completed by 2013, and Ho Xuan Tinh, director of the Culture, Sport and Tourism Department, said restoration of other towers would be taken up subsequently.

My Son, a valley surrounded by mountains, was the site of a religious centre in the capital of the Cham Kingdom which existed from the fourth to the 15th centuries.

One of the most famous Cham architectural and sculptural relics in Viet Nam, it was recognized as a world heritage by UNESCO in 1999.

Vietnamese dance to return to world stages

“Drought and rain,” Vietnamese – French choreographer Ea Sola’s famous dance performance in 1995 will come back to world stages next monthThe dance performance choreographed by Vietnamese – French artist Ea Sola “Drought and Rain” which took worldwide audiences by storm in 1995 will be back on stage in the UK and Scotland next month.

The dance, which tells stories about the Vietnam War, was first performed by Vietnamese women aged between 50 and 75 who had never left their villages.

In 2005, Sola created a second version of the dance with the participation of classically trained dancers from the National Opera Ballet in Hanoi next to the farmers.

Ea Sola was born in the Central Highlands province of Lam Dong. She left Paris at the height of the war and returned in 1990 to conduct 5 years of research on Vietnamese traditional music and dance and the lasting effects of the war on Vietnamese people.  

The dance’s third version Drought and Rain Recreation 2011 will take place at Scotland’s King's Theatre within the Edinburgh International Music Festival from September 1-3, and the Sadler's Wells London’s Dance House from September 19-20.

Chinese Qing Dynasty ceramics found in Hoi An

Construction workers building a water tank at a market in Tran Phu Street in Hoi An have unearthed Chinese ceramics made during the Qing Dynasty period between the 17th and 20th centuries.

It is the first such discovery in the central city.

Vo Hong Viet of the Hoi An Centre for Cultural Heritage Preservation and Management said the existence of the Chinese ceramics was proof of trade between the two countries.

The Qing Dynasty was China’s last, ruling from 1644 to 1912.

‘Saigon by Night’ wins city photo contest

Vo Quoc Thanh’s “Dem Sai Gon” (Saigon by Night) has won the Ho Chi Minh City Artistic Photo Contest held by the Vietnam Association of Photographic Artists and HCMC Photography Association.

“Giu Truyen Thong Viet” (Preserve Vietnamese tradition) by Nguyen A and “Hoc Boi” (Learn to swim) by Nguyen Xuan Thang were the runners-up.

“The beauty of Ho Chi Minh City” contest, held for the first time, attracted around 800 entries.

Out of them, 92 will be displayed at the awards ceremony on September 1 at the HCMC Photography Association in Suong Nguyet Anh Street, District 1.

Restoration on Dong Duong Cham sanctuary  
 
Dong Duong Cham Sanctuary was unearthed in November, 1902. This picture was taken by a French photographer and collected by the Quang Nam's provincial government.

A seminar of leading archeologists on restoring Dong Duong Cham sanctuary took place on August 17 in Quang Nam Province.

According to research professor Truong Quoc Binh, member of the National Heritage Council, Dong Duong citadel was founded by King Indravarman II when he constructed a large Buddhist monastery in 875. This also served as the center of Indrapura capital of the Champa kingdom, and one of the most important Champa Buddhist relics in South East Asia region.

It was first studied by French scholar L. Finot in 1901 and then unearthed by French architect turned archeologist H. Parmentier in 1902.

It was recognized as a national relic in 2000. Many valuable antiques, such as statues or sculptures found at Dong Duong are now displayed at the Champa’s Sculptures Art Museum in Da Nang City.

Dong Duong sanctuary was once the biggest Buddhist monastery of South East Asia, but now is left in disrepair, wrought by the French and American wars, in the province’s somber forest. There is only one tower left, surrounded by the shattered foundations of other buildings.

Noted professor Hoang Dao Kinh said he faced a formidable task when he teamed up with local and international agencies to restore My Son Cham sanctuary, which was briefly supplanted by Dong Duong as the center of Cham religious and intellectual life during the 9th century.

Kinh said it will be much more difficult to restore the Dong Duong site.

After studying the site, he said the most urgent task now is preserving each of the foundations. According to Kinh, protecting the relic from becoming the target of fake antiques traders will help Dong Duong be recognized as a World Heritage Site.

Kinh also revealed that he did not recognize the site’s great value until the French released a series of photos about the relic.

Tran Minh Ca, vice chairman of Quang Nam People’s Committee, said that the provincial committee will start researching the restoration project and will protect the relic’s remains through the coming rainy season.

‘Carmen Hanoi’ returns to capital city  

The opera “Carmen Hanoi” will return to Hanoi late next month after making its successful debut last May.

Carmen Hanoi is a Vietnamese interpretation of the world renowned opera, but it’s very different from the classic version by Georges Bizet, event organizers said.

Based on the novel by Prosper Mérimée, the original opera was completed in the autumn of 1874 by Georges Bizet. It was his last work. The opera tells the tragic story behind the bright, optimistic, straightforward but wild personality of a gypsy girl called Carmen.

Helena Röhr, director of Carmen Hanoi, and set-designer Annsofi Nyberg of Sweden, said this version of Carmen, which is set inside a Vietnamese cigarette factory, focuses on the theme of domestic violence in Vietnamese society today – particularly towards women.

The opera portrays Carmen as a victim rather than someone who is to blame for what happens – as is so often seen in more traditional versions. The violence between José and Carmen, which eventually leads to her death, indicates the cruel reality which many women in society face today, says the director.

Carmen Hanoi will include more than 150 artists, musicians and singers of the Orchestra of Vietnam National Opera and Ballet (VNOB) and the Hanoi International Choir, conducted by music director Graham Sutcliffe.

The opera will be performed in French and Vietnamese and subtitled in English and Vietnamese. It will open at 8 p.m. at the Hanoi Opera House on September 29 and 30.

Tickets, ranging from VND200,000 to 700,000, are available at the Hanoi Opera House, 1 Trang Tien Street. They can also be booked online at: www.ticketvn.com; ticketvn@gmail.com.

Ethnic performers prepare show  

A performance of music from Vietnamese ethnic groups will take place at Hanoi's Au Co Art Centre on September 10, featuring performers from the Vietnam National Music and Dance Theatre.

The performance is part of an effort to preserve and promote the folk cultures of ethnic groups and introduce them to foreign audiences, said theatre representative Xuan Binh.

Entitled Huong Sac Vietnam (The Beauty of Vietnam), the show feature musical instruments, performance and dances selected to remove the language barrier for foreign audiences.

Traditional dances and melodies of the Dao, Thai, Tay and Mong people will be performed.

A dance entitled Men Tinh (Love Ferment), a piece about the love between young Dao men and women directed and choreographed by Quynh Duong and Kim Chung, will highlight the performance. The piece won the top prize at the Vietnamese Ethnic Dance Contest held last year, but this will mark its first performance for the general public.

People's Artist Xuan Hoach will perform songs in the hat xam style of blind men who used to wander the streets singing for alms.

Sponsored by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, the show will include recognised intangible heritage such as ca tru (ceremonial singing), quan ho (northern love duets) and Central Highlands gongs, as well as other unique performances drawn from the country's 54 ethnic groups.

Activities mark National Day

A wide range of activities are being held across the country to mark the 66th anniversary of the August Revolution (August 19) and Vietnamese National Day (September 2).

The Ho Chi Minh Museum held a ceremony in Hanoi on August 29 to receive documentation on the life and career of President Ho Chi Minh.

This includes 19 documents, 300 photos, and more than 10 books by scholars at home and abroad, as well as 40 memoirs by historical witnesses who were fortunate enough to work with the President.

On the same day, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism (MOCST) held a ceremony to celebrate its 66th anniversary (1945 – 2011).

After the success of the August Revolution, the Ministry of Information and Propaganda (now the MOCST) was established on August 28, 1945, by the Provisional Government of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam. Since its establishment, the sector has encouraged artists and people working in the field to preserve and promote the country’s traditional cultures in order to create an advanced Vietnamese national culture. The Ministry has been honoured with many noble awards by the Party and State.

At the ceremony, three Independence Orders, third class, and Prime Minister’s certificates were presented to 14 collectives and 15 individuals for their contributions to the country’s cultural development.

Localities nationwide are celebrating the event with various programmes. Professional and amateur art troupes in Nghe An province will give performances in mountainous and remote areas. The Nghe An provincial Museum, Xo Viet Nghe Tinh Museum and Military Zone IV Museum will also be open extra hours for visitors on the occasion.

An exhibition of photographs on the theme of ‘The 66th anniversary of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam’ opened at the Hai Duong provincial Exhibition House. The exhibits reflect the country’s establishment and development from the two resistance wars against French colonialism and US imperialism to the ‘Doi Moi’ (Renewal) process. The exhibition, co-organised by the provincial Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the provincial Association of Literature and Arts, will run through September 7.

Vinpearl launches Mid-Autumn festival

To celebrate the Mid-Autumn festival, Vinpearl Land prepares a number of entertainment activities for customers and their children.

Customers can experience the festive atmosphere on the island with red lanterns, five-color flags, models of fruit trays and mooncakes located in many places.

There will be a Mid-Autumn festival night with the participation of talented child artists who will perform a unicorn dance, juggling and a lantern parade at 6:30 p.m. on September 10, which is the thirteenth day of the eighth lunar month.

Children will receive traditional toys like drums, lanterns, masks and to he (toys made from rice) and propellers at the event.

Children who visit the island from now until September 10 will receive colorful balloons and free coupons to dine at fast-food stores in Vinpearl Land Amusement Park or join in the

numerous exciting activities like a clown parade, Vietnamese folk games of bamboo dance, tug-of-war and jumping in a bag. There is even a Mid-Autumn singing contest and quiz contest with some attractive prizes on offer.

Additionally, on this occasion a range of new games and shows are ready to serve guests like flying motorbikes and water puppetry.

Dang Thanh Thuy, general director of Vinpearl Corp, said: “Vinpearl Land is ready to bring a joyful Mid-Autumn season to our customers, especially children.

“We hope the Mid-Autumn festival in Vinpearl Land can be a gift from parents to their beloved children.”

X5 win House of Dreams girlband contest  

After over three months of House of Dreams’ Sang Bung Suc Song (Bright Vitality) competition to find Vietnam’s new girlband, five girls were chosen to form X5 on Sunday night, reports VnExpress.

The final round of the contest took place at Nguyen Du Stadium in HCMC’s District 1 in front of a large number of enthusiastic fans. The night featured performances of seven girls in two bands: Lua (Fire) and Vut bay (Flying).

After two repertoires each and after totaling marks from the judging panel and a public vote, Thanh Truc, Linh Chi, Hai Le, Hong Nhung and Thu Trang were asked to form X5.

The contest, organized by Galaxy Studio and Early Risers Media Group, was a reality show which saw the girls trained by top choreographers, dancers, and singers.

The winners will sign a five-year contract with Early Risers Media Group worth US$30,000 to make an album composed by Duong Khac Linh.
 
Bahnar people come to life in L’Espace

A photographic exhibition called ‘The Bahnar Minority in Kontum’ from brothers Nguyen Kinh Chi and Nguyen Dong Chi will open at the French Cultural Center, L’Espace, 24 Trang Tien Street in Hanoi.

The exhibition is being held to mark the occasion of the bilingual publication of a book with the same title.

In 1934, aged 21 years old, Nguyen Dong Chi followed his brother Nguyen Kinh Chi to live in Kontum in the Central Highlands. During their 10 month stay, the two men spent time researching and collecting data on the Bahnar, an ethnic minority living in the city of Kontum and their customs.

The research was published in book Every Kontum (Hue, 1937) and now is being translated into English, titled The Bahnar Minority in Kontum (2011) by the Ancient Far East Institute France in collaboration with Knowledge Publisher.

The show runs until September 19.

PV