New World Bridal Fashion Show lures huge crowd

Over 3,000 guests joined in the Cinderella Luxury Bridal Fashion Show hosted by the five-star New World Saigon Hotel and bridal.vn last week.

A highlight was the Mother Beauty Award where moms showed their talent and paraded in evening gowns and bridal costumes with their daughters and sons on the catwalk and answered a Q&A challenge.

A judging panel comprising psychiatrist Ly Thi Mai; second runner-up of Mrs World 2009 Hoang Thi Yen; Nguyen Hoa Tam, general director of Maria Beauty Center; and Chau Thanh Phuong from New World Saigon picked Huynh Thi My Dung, deputy general director of Dai Phuc Vinh Co. Ltd., as the Mother Beauty Queen and Minh Anh as the Cinderella of the Night.

Other activities that also drew much attention of participants were a shoes test and a fashion show featuring Joli Poli wedding gown brand.

According to the hotel, this year’s event was a big hit compared to its previous wedding fairs as visitors had numerous activities to join and they shared their moments at the event on social networks to a larger online community.

Free film-making class opens

A free filmmaking course will be offered for 15 to 18-year-olds in HCM City from June 9 to 20.

The Toto Filmmaking Class will offer theory and practice writing scripts, shooting, acting, creating scenes and producing films, with lessons taught by domestic filmmakers such as producer Vu Quynh Ha and directors Nguyen Huu Tuan, Tran Dung Thanh Huy, Nguyen Trong Khoa, and Hoang Tran Minh Duc.

The students will make their own films, to be screened on June 20. The three best films will be awarded VND10 million (US$476), 7 million and 5 million.

American classical play enthralls Hanoians

On May 26, Hanoians will have an opportunity to enjoy the play “All My Sons” by American playwright Arthur Miller, at the Hanoi Opera House for free.

All My Sons told about a family tragedy of Joe Keller – a director of a workshop that manufactures aero engine parts. In order to turn a profit,   Keller delivers poor quality products, leading to deaths of several pilots. However, he blamed all the problems on his friends.

With the participation of popular artists like Le Khanh, Si Tien, Quang Anh, Nguyet Hang and Thu Trang, the play aims to commemorate American playwright Arthur Miller’s 100th birthday. It also celebrates the 20th anniversary of Vietnam-US diplomatic ties. The event has continued to receive funding from the US Embassy in Vietnam.

The play will be performed in Yen Bai, Tuyen Quang, Thai Nguyen and other Hanoi art schools through June.

All My Sons made its first debut in Hanoi and Hai Phong under the direction of Neil Simon Fleckman in 2011 as part of a cooperative project between the US Embassy in Vietnam, and the Youth Theatre.

2015 Golden Spoon cooking contest kicks off in Binh Duong

The third Chiec Thia Vang (Golden Spoon) competition, which seeks to find the country's best chefs and dishes, was launched in the southern province of Binh Duong on May 26.

With the theme “Hanh trinh gia vi Viet” (Journey of Vietnamese Spices), the contest is taking place in Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Can Tho, Nha Trang, Da Nang, and northern Lao Cai province’s Sa Pa town, from June 2 to December 2.

The semi-final rounds are scheduled to take place in Hanoi on October 13-14 and Ho Chi Minh City on October 27-28. The final round will be held in the southern province of Binh Duong on December 2.

As many as 540 chefs from restaurants and hotels across the country have registered for the event so far.

Co-organised by the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism, the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the Binh Duong-based

Minh Long I Company, the cooking contest aims to seek talented chiefs who can create world-class Vietnamese dishes from each region across Vietnam.

Last year, chefs from Caravelle Hotel in Ho Chi Minh City won the first prize.

Exhibition held on Vietnam’s ownership of Hoang Sa and Truong Sa

Exhibits affirming Vietnam’s sovereignty over Truong Sa (Spratly) and Hoang Sa (Paracel) archipelagos are being showcased at an exhibition in central Nghe An province’s Vinh city on May 26.

The display includes photos, documents, objects and nearly 100 maps, which were discovered earlier by both domestic and international researchers. The displayed materials are in Han (classical Chinese used in Vietnam), Nom (Vietnamese ideographic script), Vietnamese and

French languages issued from the 17th to the outset of the 20 th centuries by the Vietnamese feudal states and the French government in Indochina (on behalf of the then Vietnamese state). They recorded the process of establishing, exercising and defending Vietnam’s sovereignty over the two archipelagoes.

Notably, maps published by China up to the beginning of 20 th century demonstrate China’s southernmost territory as Hainan Island without any mention of Hoang Sa and Truong Sa archipelagos.

In addition, World atlas Universel, drawn by the late cartographer Phillippe Vandermaelen and published in 1827, also describes Hoang Sa archipelago as belonging to Vietnam.

The exhibition aims to raise the public’s awareness as well as promote solidarity and encourage the responsibility of Vietnamese nationals inprotecting and affirming national territory.

The exhibition will run until May 30.

First underground exhibition opened in Quang Tri

An art exhibition, themed ‘Sublimation – A view of the sky from the underground’ by artist Vo Xuan Huy, opened at the Vinh Moc guerrilla war tunnel system in the central province of Quang Tri on May 26.

The first underground exhibition, sponsored by the Cultural Development and Exchange Fund (CDEF) - Danish Embassy, is attracting the interest of art circles and art lovers.

Vo Xuan Huy has places 2,000 colourful baloons and his audience in the tunnels after which they then push the ballons through the tunnels’ exit and into the sky. The artist has placed photos in the passageways so that the public has to look, and even step on them as they pass.

The exhibition aims to bring contemporary art closer with the public, especially among the youth, whilst connecting it with a historical war site.

Artist Huy is a lecturer at Hue Fine Arts College. He has had nine solo exhibitions and joined dozens of group exhibitions and art events in Vietnam, as well as in Thailand, France and Singapore. His paintings have sold in the UK, the US, France, the Netherlands and Singapore.

Vinh Moc tunnel had been an important shelter for local residents seeking to escape air strikes in North Vietnam by the American air force between 1965 and 1972.

Also at the exhibition, 20 Ao Dai designs by designer Viet Bao were showcased at Vinh Moc tunnel.

Fine arts exhibition encourages children with autism

Paintings of five Vietnamese children with autism are on display at a fine arts exhibition which kicked off on May 26 at Laca Art Cafe in 24 Ly Quoc Su Street, Hanoi.

The young artists include Nguyen Trung Hieu, Ha Dinh Chi, Nguyen Gia Bao, Pham Binh Minh and Trinh Hoang Minh.

Themed ‘The Different and the Future’, the exhibition features the value and capacities of children with autism as well as the orientation of education and employment for those who have artistic aptitude.

The event also aims to boost the confidence and motivation for autistic children’s families in caring for and educating them as well as to change public awareness of individuals with autism in a positive direction.

The exhibition is held as part of activities responding to the programme ‘Autism Awareness 2015: Employment – Strengths of People with autism’ launched by the United Nations.

On the occasion, the ‘Arts and Autism Fund’ was officially launched to support people with autism, particularly children, in approaching the arts as well as promoting their values in the society.

The exhibition will run until May 31.