Annual short film festival announces winners

The short film Dawn by Vietnamese-American director Leon Le has won a Golden Heart, the top prize in the international online short-film festival YxineFF.

In addition, the10-minute movie, widely praised for its portrayal of homosexual, bi-gender and transgender individuals, also won the Rainbow Heart Prize and the prize for Best Director.

The film Truc Nhat Voi Thu Ky (On Duty with Secretary) by Vietnamese director Do Quoc Trung won the Pink Heart prize in the Local Competition. 16:30 by Tran Dung Thanh Duy received both the Best Vietnamese Movie and Creativeness prizes.

This year, the annual event attracted 150 films, of which 66 were chosen to be screened on www.yxineff.com.

YxineFF began in May 2010 with a target audience of both young independent filmmakers and cinema lovers.

Restoration breathes life into old bamboo house

Once covered in leaves, the oldest bamboo house in the central province of Quang Nam has been restored successfully by Vinahouse Company.

The owner of the 102-year-old house, Pham Thi So, 87, can't afford repairs, so she permitted the company to restore it. All furniture and utensils in the house are well-preserved. The building has one apartment and two wings like all Vietnamese traditional houses, according to the provincial Heritage Preservation Centre.

Young Vietnamese artists celebrate Xmas

Young Vietnamese artists who won prizes at international piano competitions will perform together in a Christmas concert at Hanoi Opera House on December 24.

Among them are Nguyen Viet Trung, widely known as ‘a piano gold boy’ in the country, Phan Thien Bach Anh, Nguyen The Vinh, Ngo Phuong Vi, Do Hoang Linh Chi and Nguyen Minh Anh.

Vu Dang Minh Anh and Tran Dieu Linh, two young artists living and working in Poland and Russia, will also join them in performing famous pieces of classical music written by F. Chopin and Liszt.

Music show features African vibes

Ha Noi-based musician Musbaba will perform compositions inspired by his West African roots, with the added touch of the Vietnamese traditional instrument dan tranh (zither), tomorrow at Chez Xuan Restaurant Garden Bar&Grill.

Musbaba's performance will be accompanied by his two compatriots in his band.

The show will take place at Lane 41/76, An Duong Street, from 9-11pm. Admission is VND100,000 and includes one drink.

Charity event collects clothes for the poor

Show your kind heart by joining the Caring for the Barefoot night on Saturday at Indochina Corner, No 1 Luong Ngoc Quyen Street.

Hosted by Friends Holding Hands, the event aims to raise funds to support disadvantaged children who can't afford shoes to lessen the winter's cold.

The fund will also be used to purchase other necessities including clothes, blankets and books, which will be given to children in the mountainous Lai Chau Province's Muong Te District.

The event, which starts at 8pm, will feature live music, free BBQ and free White Oak whiskey (8-9pm). The minimum suggested donation is VND100,000/person, with a 50 per cent discount for children 6-12 years old.

Opera singers perform in Beethoven concert

Four leading singers of the Vietnam National Opera and Ballet Theatre took part in a Beethoven concert at Hanoi Opera House on December 18-19.

The artists, including Thang Long, Vanh Khuyen, Thanh Binh and Manh Dung, performed “Fidelio” and symphony No. 9 written by Germany’s Ludwig van Beethoven under the baton of conductor Honna Tetsuji NS and the guidance of chorus director Toshizaku Bohmuki from Japan.

Ha Pham Thang Long is known to have played different roles as Mimi, Fiodiligi and Papagena in operas written by Puccini and Mozart.

Le Thi Vanh Khuyen graduated from the Vietnam National Academy of Music. She had performed in many operas and is now an official member of the Vietnam National Opera and Ballet Theatre.

Vu Manh Dung is currently a soloist of the theatre and a teacher at the Vietnam National Academy of Music.

Trinh Thanh Binh has worked for the theatre since 2004. As a soloist, he has played the lead in some famous operas.

Resort offers a memorable festive cheers

The La Ferme du Colvert Resort&Spa Discovery, about 40km west from Ha Noi, has designed a package for anyone who wishes to experience a memorable Christmas and New Year.

The two-day package includes an excursion to the Muong village and a gala dinner prepared by famous French chef Didier Corlou. A live music show featuring local ethnic performers as well as a night party with a lot of fun games are on the agenda.

After a night sleeping in traditional rural houses, guests can enjoy a leisurely breakfast by the swimming pool before biking to the local market or joining a hiking tour around the village.

The package includes several outdoor activities: a cooking class, fishing, boating and a Christmas craft workshop.

The package is available for the days of December 22-23, December 24-25 and December 31-January 1.

For more info, contact the booking office at No 8 Lane 25/7, Vu Ngoc Phan Street, Tel: (04) 37764301.

Year-end drum party at Caravelle Hotel

The Sai Gon Sai Gon Bar of Caravelle Hotel will host a week-long Drums Party to celebrate the end of 2012.

The performances, which are being held in honour of Cuba's annual street festival, will take place daily from December 24-31 from 9pm to 1am.

The event features music by Cuban band Corazon Latino, samba dancers, feathered costumes and a range of cocktails, wine and champagne. There will cover charges on Christmas Eve (VND230,000) and on New Year's Eve (VND1,200,000), including one standard drink.

Parties to mark ‘last day of the world'

Several parties to mark the Mayan prediction of the last day of the world, December 21, will be held in the city.

Lava Club will host a countdown party called Before I Die today featuring performance of three HCM City-based leading DJs, including DJ Jase Nguyen from The Beat Sai Gon, and DJ Bnuts and Hoang Touliver from Space Speaker.

The party is from 6.30pm to 12.30am at 61 Nam Ky Khoi Nghia St in District 1. Admission is VND180,000.
DeciBel, a club in District 1, will present The End of the World party with melody from the 60s and 70s by DJ Dastardly.

The event will begin at 8pm at 79/2/5 Phan Ke Binh St.

Famous mixologist tantilises tastebuds

The Argentine mixologist David Cordoba, who is known as the Master Chef of mixology, will share his favourite drink recipes and create new drinks from Vietnamese flavours at Blanchy's Tash on December 22.

Corboda's show will start from 8pm at 95 Hai Ba Trung St.

Alternative music night in the central city

An alternative music concert featuring indie, pop, rock, lo-fi, garage, psych, electronic, soul, funk, Motown, hip hop and new wave will be launched at Broma, a bar in the central of the city, at 8pm on December 20.

The show will take place on the second floor, 41 Nguyen Hue St, District 1. Admission is VND30,000.

Chistmas celebration at city's hotels

A series of festivities and a range of Christmas delicacies will be featured at the city's hotels, restaurants and bars on December 24 and 25. The Sai Gon Children's Charity Choir will perform classic carols in the lobby of Caravelle Hotel every afternoon on December 20-25, while New World Hotel Sai Gon will present a Chinese Christmas dinner and lunch at Dynasty Restaurant.

UNESCO recognition sought for stone musical instruments

The People’s Committee of central Phu Yen province on December 17 presented a lithophone and stone horns found in Tuy An district to the Vietnam UNESCO Committee for cultural heritage recognition.

Speaking at the ceremony, Dr Katherine Muller Marin, Chief Representative of the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) in Vietnam, spoke highly of the unique stone instruments, especially the harmony of their sounds.

She urged the provincial People’s Committee to promptly create a dossier of the instruments to submit to UNESCO.

The Tuy An instruments are 2,500 years old. The 8-note lithophone, discovered in 1990, produces the most accurate sound of ancient lithophones found. The set of stone horns is the only known example in the world.

VNN/VOV/VNS/VNA