Documentary film on Vietnam’s longest river aired

A documentary film on Dong Nai River which is recognized as the longest river in Vietnam is being aired on HTV9 channel starting on September 23.

The TV series 120 episodes (10 minute each) will bring audiences to a trip exploring the beauty of the river, its environmental economic value, as well as reflecting the living of local people along river banks.

The film crew hopes the movie will raise the people’s awareness of environmental protection.

The Dong Nai River runs through provinces and cities, including Lam Dong ,Dak Nong, Binh Phuoc, Dong Nai, Binh Duong and Ho Chi Minh City. Water quality of Dong Nai River affects 20 million residents living in the southern region. The river water is facing serious pollution by huge volumes of untreated industrial and household wastewater flowing into it.

Europe-Asia contemporary dance dazzles Hanoians

Swedish and Japanese artists on September 24 received a thunderous applause from Hanoi audiences with their impressive performances, raising the curtain on the annual “Europe meets Asia in contemporary dance.”

Local audiences were amazed by Scarabé by Virpi Pahkinen and Fredrick Quinones of Japan and Good Bye by Yo Nakamura of Japan.

Scarabé, inspired by the ancient Egyptian scarab beetle, is a symbol of transformation. The beetle seems to appear from nowhere, travelling through the deserts to look for a memory field.

Scarabé has its world premiere in August 2012 at the Helsinki Festival Savoy Theatre in Finland.

Good Bye, which was staged in Yokohama Dance Collection 2013, won the Jury Prize and the Sibiu International Theatre Festival Prize.

Using text from the films “Tokyo Story” and “An Autumn Afternoon” by YasujiroOzu, Nakamura performed the gap between conversation and their mind.

This year Vietnam plans to perform 3 works: 7x,Breeze Rustling, and Hanoi Stardust choreographed by Vietnamese, German and Belgian artists.They will be staged every evening from September 25-28.

The Director of the Hanoi Goethe Institute, Almuth Meyer-Zollitsch, said that the collaboration between German choreographer Arco Renz and five soloists from the Vietnam National Opera Ballet gives life to the billed piece, Hanoi Stardust. The choreography envisions a dynamic encounter between classical ballet and a youthful Vietnamese society.

Through the event, the Vietnamese and foreign artists will have opportunity to show their capabilities and further hone their professional skills, she added.

Danang fireworks competition set to light up the sky

The 2015 Danang International Fireworks Competition (DIFC) themed “A Symphony of Colours” is expected to attract five teams, including South Africa, the US, Australia, Poland and the host, Danang.

Also according to Danang municipal People’s Committee, each team is scheduled for a 20-minute performance.

Performance criteria are based on the idea, the diversity and the theme.

The organizing board assesses colours and sound-light combination in each fireworks display.

The competition is scheduled for April 28-29, 2015 on the banks of the Han River.

Bach Dang Street, Tran Hung Dao Street, Han River Bridge and Thuan Phuoc Bridge should be ideal places for local people and tourists to enjoy the interesting event.

Hilton Hanoi Opera to host Italian night

Italian night ‘La Dolce Vita’ is set for October 3 at the Hilton Hanoi Opera Hotel.

The night will feature an Italian menu prepared by Executive Chef Rainer Schlinck with fine wines presented by Elena Bortoletto from the Tommasi Viticoltori Estate.

Service commences with a reception cocktail followed by a culinary journey through an Italian buffet.

The menu will feature entrees of beef with red wine sauce and Milano lamb with a choice of home-made Gelato orTiramisu Prego ice-cream for dessert.

Tickets are priced at VND1 million per person.

Italy is famous worldwide for its fashion, luxury sports cars and luxurious watches. With a thousand year of history, the culinary of Italy has greatly impacted modern life.

Wine and cuisine are said to be a part of "La Dolce Vita" representing a beautiful life with Italian essence.

French Institute to screen films

Two French comedies and a drama will be shown at the monthly film screening at the Institute of Cultural Exchange with France (IDECAF) in October.

The films, Le Gamin au Velo (The Kid with a Bike), Meres et Filles (Hidden Diary), and Pop Redemption, will be screened with Vietnamese subtitles on October 4, 11, and 18.

Entrance tickets cost VND30,000. The screening will begin at 3pm at the venue at 28 Le Thanh Ton Street, District 1.

Hard Rock Cafe raises funds for research

Hard Rock Cafe HCM City is selling women's T-shirts for breast cancer charity from now to October as part of Hard Rock International's 15th anniversary of annual breast cancer awareness and fundraising.

The Pinktober V-neck garment is blue to symbolise strength of mind and body and has a pink breast cancer awareness ribbon embellished with roses. Fifty per cent of the price will go to various breast cancer charities around the world.

Hard Rock International has also partnered with international superstar Rihanna to offer a limited edition T-shirt as part of its Artist Spotlight Series, and has donated to Rihanna's charity, The Clara Lionel Foundation.

Both T-shirts are available at the cafe, 39 Le Duan Street in District 1.

Dragonfly Theatre to stage Beckett drama

Dragonfly Theatre in HCM City will present Waiting For Godot by Samuel Beckett next month.

Generally considered to be one of the finest plays of the 20th century, this black comedy takes a lighthearted and irreverent look at the biggest questions in life: Who are we? Why are we here? What are we waiting for?

The play follows two men as they wait for the seemingly never present Godot. At times striking and thought-provoking, at others downright silly, this is a play for everyone.

Dragonfly Vietnam is a professional quality theatre company based in HCM City. Past performances have included The Importance of Being Earnest, The Little Prince, and Dangerous Liaisons.

The shows will be staged at 7pm on October 9, 10, 11 and 12.

The venue is Cargo Bar, 7 Nguyen Tat Thanh St., in District 4.

Tickets are available through ticketbox.vn.

Night of short videos at restaurant

The Ha Noi Social Club will present a night of diverse short videos and movies on Sunday, from various genres and countries. Participants can socialise with people who share their interests in watching or making movies.

The free screening will start at 8pm on the second floor of Ha Noi Social Club, 6 Hoi Vu Street.

FVH tour to reveal unheard-of legends

Friends of Viet Nam Heritages (FVH) will host a city walk on Saturday to explore the back alleys around Hang Da Market.

The stroll through the streets surrounding the old leather market will immerse visitors in local life. FVH's tour will showcase hidden pagodas, communal houses dedicated to patrons of craft guilds, little-known legends, bits of the old citadel, and more.

The group will gather at 51 Duong Thanh Street, in front of Hong Ha Theatre.

The two-and-a-half hour tour will be conducted in English, starting at 9.30am.

To join, contact phuongloan2704@gmail.com.

Cost VND70,000 and limit 10 people.

East meets West at Manzi concert

Manzi Art Space will host the sixth annual International Contemporary Music Festival's final concert tomorrow.

The show will feature leading Vietnamese artists including Do Anh Tuan, Tran Luu Hoang, Vu Ngoc Linh and Do Kien Cuong.

They will perform newly written music using a wide range of instruments. Listeners will find the more traditional monochord, bamboo flute and dan tinh (a stringed instrument of the Tay ethnic people) joined by the Western cello, contrabass, piano, oboe and percussion, as well as modern musical tools, such as laptops and iPads.

In a special performance, artist Nguyen Thang will serenade the audience with a bamboo saxophone he crafted himself.

The concert will start at 8pm at Manzi Art Space, 14 Phan Huy Ich Street.

US photographer shows work

Some of the latest works by Ha Noi-based photographer Jamie Maxtone-Graham will be on show at HCM City's Galerie Quynh from today.

His first ever exhibition in the city - titled That Little Distance - will feature photos from Still. Life and That Little Distance which were shot "in the derelict setting of a former factory where the only light source was daylight passing through a large, north-facing window", a release from the gallery says.

Still. Life depicts seemingly disparate objects bound together into a structure marked by tension, while That Little Distance features enigmatic portraits of individuals including a poet, gangster, artist collective, and gay couple.

The exhibition will remain open until October 31.

American Maxtone-Graham has been working for more than 20 years in narrative cinematography. He first came to Viet Nam in 1990 for documentary From Hollywood to Ha Noi and returned a number of times before putting down roots in the city. His photographs have been featured in exhibitions in Europe and Asia.

Orchestra to perform in Tokyo

The HCM City Ballet Symphony Orchestra and Opera will take part in Asia Orchestra Week 2014 in Tokyo from October 3-9.

The only event of its kind in Asia designed for orchestras in the Asia-Pacific region, it enables participants to showcase their professionalism.

Vietnamese artists will perform the nocturne Tieng Vong (Echo from the Past) by Do Hong Quan, chairman of the Viet Nam Musicians' Association.

Quan wrote the contemporary piece in 1995 to mark the 20th anniversary of Viet Nam Reunification. It consists of four sections: Reversing the Course of Time – Moon of Love, Echoes of the Old Battlefield, Wait in Silence, and Immortal Statues.

Violinist Nguyen Huu Nguyen and the orchestra will also play Ludwig van Beethoven's Symphony No 7, among others under the instruction of conductor Tran Vuong Thach.

The orchestra will perform all these works in the Youth Melody Programme on September 29 in HCM City.

Director turns to teen fiction

After several years of working in film, the talented director Le Hoang has written his first book, Sao Thay Khong Mai Teen Teen (Why Isn't My Teacher in His Teens Forever?), which was released in HCM City this week.

The 280-page book includes dozens of lively works by young painters from the HCM City Culture and Art Publishing House.

It tells stories about a 17-year-old girl, Ly Cun, and her classmates, who discover life and love together. The book also provides information on the history of HCM City, a subject that many youth know little about.

Hoang told the local media that he had decided to write a book aimed at teenagers because he thought it "was critical that teenagers have access to good-quality books suitable to their needs".

The book highlights teens' loves and dreams, written with the author's great imagination and flair.

More than 10,000 copies of the book have been printed and distributed by the HCM City Culture and Arts Publishing House and Phuong Nam Book.

"I'm a fan of Hoang's movies. I think Hoang's book will be popular with both teenagers and adults because they are full of mythical beings and realistic features," said Vu Hoang Diep, a first-year student at the HCM City Law University.

"I believe Hoang knows what young people think and want," she added.

Many parents and educators are troubled by teenagers turning to readily available Vietnamese and foreign adult books, as good-quality teenager books are sorely lacking in the market.

Commenting on the situation, a high school teacher said that teenagers were not mature enough to fully understand the content in adult books, and thus might be negatively affected by it.

Moreover, foreign adult books could even be more harmful because teenagers find alien the western way of thinking.

"I become worried when some of my students get more excited about social relationships, money, crime and sex as depicted in adult books than about schoolwork and friends," said Phan Thi Nguyet Anh, core teacher at the Hong Ha School in Tan Binh District.

Many parents allow their teenagers to indulge in adult books, and efforts need to be made to change this attitude, she added.

Unfortunately, Vietnamese teenage books are few and far between, and many are boring. Thus, they lose out to exciting productions from the US, France, Japan and other countries.

"I think local authors prefer to write for adults and young children. They are under the misperception that teenagers will enjoy children's books," said Diep, adding that her parents bought children's books for her when she was at high school.

VN culture event opens in Holland

A festival titled Viet Nam Days in the Netherlands started in The Hague on Tuesday.

Deputy Prime Minister Hoang Trung Hai, who is on a working visit to Holland, spoke about the importance of bilateral relations, particularly since an agreement on a strategic partnership on climate change adaptation, water resource management, agriculture and food security.

After the opening, Vietnamese artists performed traditional and modern Vietnamese music as well as Dutch songs, accompanied by traditional Vietnamese instruments.

Earlier, the Deputy PM met Amsterdam's Mayor, E.E Van der Laan, who said the city was committed to enhancing co-operation with Vietnamese localities, Ha Noi in particular.

This included urban planning and management, infrastructure upgrades, trade, and education and training.

Hai welcomed the Mayor's visit to Ha Noi in December, saying that it would contribute to the realisation of agreements signed by the two cities in education, urban management, water supply, and waste treatment.

Deputy PM Hai also attended the Viet Nam-Netherlands economic forum held yesterday in Amsterdam. It attracted 250 delegates from government agencies and businesses from the two countries.

Hai and the Vietnamese delegation are scheduled to next fly to Finland. 

Exhibition features Hanoi’s national historic sites

Nine national relic sites in Hanoi are being featured in a photograph exhibition that opened at the Van Mieu-Quoc Tu Giam (Temple of Literature) on September 24.

The month-long exhibition is part of a series of events to celebrate the 60 th anniversary of the capital city’s liberation (October 10, 1954).

It showcases nearly 100 photographs and maps of the President Ho Chi Minh relic site, Thang Long Imperial Citadel, Co Loa Citadel, Van Mieu–Quoc Tu Giam, Hat Mon, Hai Ba Trung and Phu Dong temples, Hoan Kiem lake–Ngoc Son temple, and Tay Dang communal house.

The exhibition is expected to give visitors an insight into the cultural, historical and architectural values of these sites.

Nguyen Huy Bai, Head of the Managing Board of Hai Ba Trung temple in Me Linh district, said the display aims to promote Hanoi’s historical sites of national importance to Vietnamese and international visitors, thus improving the public’s awareness of heritage preservation.

Hanoi invests US$1 million to restore Ba Kieu temple

Ba Kieu temple in Hanoi will undergo restoration under a project worth VND 23.2 billion (roughly US$1.1 million) sourced from the city’s budget.

The project will be implemented during the 2015 -2016 period to consolidate the temple’s foundations, re-render its surface, replace the roof and restore original decorative patterns.

The project is part of the Hanoi city authorities’ effort to safeguard downgraded historical, cultural, religious, architectural and artistic constructions of the capital whose value were recognised by the State.

Located in Dinh Tien Hoang street, Hoan Kiem district, Ba Kieu temple was built under the reign of King Le Than Tong (1619 -1628) to worship Mother Goddess Lieu Hanh and princesses Quynh Hoa and Que Hoa.

It was acknowledged as a cultural and historical vestige in 1994.

VNS/VOV/VNN