France to host Vietnam Film Festival in July

The French coastal city of Saint Malo plans to put on a Vietnam Film Festival this summer, organisers said at an April 8 press conference in Paris.

The event will be organised by French company Iriscomm in collaboration with the French Embassy in Vietnam and the Cinema Department under Vietnam’s Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism.

Ngo Phuong Lan, director of the Cinema Department, said the festival will give French audiences their first viewing of films made during the past two decades that reflect important historical events, the development of Vietnam-France relations and the growth of Vietnam’s film industry. Some of the films have won prizes at international film festivals.

In addition, several films that feature Vietnamese themes made by French directors or overseas Vietnamese in France will also be screened, Lan said. As well as feature films, documentaries and animated films are also on the programme.

Speaking at the press conference, French Ambassador to Vietnam Jean Noel Poirier said that cinema will serve as a window for the French audience to look at Vietnamese culture. Through watching Vietnamese films, the ambassador said he has felt the movements and aspirations of a country which is quickly transforming itself.

The Vietnam Film Festival in Saint Malo is one of the most eagerly awaited events of Vietnam Year in France, which comprises a year of events to celebrate the 40th anniversary of diplomatic ties between the two countries.

Artists show love for ancient capital Hue

Five young artists from Hue opened a joint exhibition on April 9 to show their love for the former royal capital city.

Ngo Dinh Bao Vi, a graduate from the Ho Chi Minh City University of Art, and Nguyen Thanh Trung, Lai Thanh Dung, Tran Viet Thuc and Tran Anh Phi, all graduates from the Hue University of Art, created their works using different materials, including oil, acrylic and truc chi, a special type of paper made from bamboo.

They also used different techniques to reflect their ideas, but all of them agree on one theme: a strong desire to revive the finest values of Hue culture.

The highlight of the exhibition is an installation of truc chi works by Ngo Dinh Bao Vi.

Vi designed a unique lantern made from truc chi paper with a rose stencil to reflect everyone's true love and passion for life.

The exhibition will run at the Tay Khuyet Dai Tower inside the former Imperial City in Hue until April 20.

Vietnamese reporter shines in Uruguay

Reporter Tran Viet Van from the Lao dong (Labour) daily newspaper has become the only Vietnamese photographer to grab two first prizes in the international photo Mulafoco Award Contest in Uruguay.

Van was named photographer of the year for his works “Di lam sang” (Working in the morning) and “Khoanhkhacquyetdinh” (The decisive moment), which will be displayed with others at an exhibition in the host country.

The winning photos will also be printed in a yearly special photo book of Uruguay’s Mulafoco museum.

In February, Van bagged the third prize at the sixth international Pollux Awards, the largest annual journalism photo contest held by the Worldwide Gala Photography Awards (WPGA), its jury announced on February 26.

He has already won Pollux Awards prizes in 2010 and 2011.

A collection of 15 books featuring the Dien Bien Phu victory (May 7, 1954) has been released by the People’s Army Publishing House in Hanoi.

This is part of activities to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the victory that put an end to the French colonial rule in Vietnam.

With various genres, the books highlight the sound and creative people-based war strategy designed by the Party, late President Ho Chi Minh and General Vo Nguyen Giap.

The Dien Bien Phu – MocVang Lich Su (Dien Bien Phu – Historic Golden Mark) by General Vo Nguyen Giap and Dien Bien Phu Qua NhungTrangTu Lieu (Dien Bien Phu Through File Pages) by a group of authors provide an analysis of the Party’s political and military guidelines.

Other books, namely Dien Bien Phu – KyUc 60 Nam (Dien Bien Phu – A 60 Year Memory) by Do Sam; Dien Bien Phu – Mot KyQuan Lich Su (Dien Bien Phu – A Historic Wonder) by Hoang Lam, and Dau Co Giac La Ta Cu Di (We’ll March Where the Enemy is) by Hanoi-based former soldiers from Division 316, are diaries of people who participated in the battle.

A book entitled Dien Bien Phu Duoi Goc Nhin Cua Nguoi Nuoc Ngoai (Dien Bien Phu under Views by Foreigners) also features the various opinions of foreign participants who engaged in the battle.

Vietnam attends int’l table setting exhibition in Malaysia

The Vietnamese Embassy in Malaysia participated in the International Art of Table Setting Exhibition 2014 held in Kuala Lumpur on April 9.

Vietnam’s table setting for a dinner party, using Minh Long chinaware, took on the theme of Lotus, and won the audience’s praise as being simple but delicate.

The exhibition was organized by the Malaysian Foreign Ministry’s Ladies Association.

The event, attended by the Prime Minister’s wife Datin Paduka Seri Rosmah Mansor, attracted the participation of 22 countries and international organizations.

This is the first time Vietnam has joined in the exhibition, which is one of activities held by the Malaysian Foreign Ministry to promote the Malaysia Tourism Year 2014.

Ao Dai introduced at ASEAN-China exhibition

The ubiquitous Vietnamese Ao Dai (women’s traditional long dress) gathered the attention of visitors at an exhibition of ASEAN-China costumes in Beijing on April 8.

Designer Lan Huong introduced her collection of Ao Dai, made of silk in Hanoi’s Van Phuc craft village, decorated with a stunningly beautiful wide variety of embroidery patterns.

Vietnam’s stall at the exhibition also showcased silk weaving processes and embroidery works by artisans from the Quat Dong craft village.

The April 8-17 event, part of the 2014 ASEAN-China Cultural Exchange Year, displays more than 120 costumes of famous designers from Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippine, Singapore, Thailand, China, and Vietnam.

On the occasion, a dialogue will also be held, enabling leading fashion designers from ten ASEAN member countries and China to share experience and exchange views on cultures and costumes.

Art works depicting Typhoon Hayan on show in the capital

As many as 26 artists from the Philippines, Malaysia and Viet Nam will help raise funds for victims of Typhoon Haiyan, with an exhibition that will open in the capital tomorrow.

Titled Recovery after the Storm, the exhibition will feature 24 large scale paintings and three installation works by the Asia Art Link group.

The exhibition will run until April 17 at the Viet Nam Fine Arts Museum, located at 66 Nguyen Thai Hoc Street.

All members of the group, which was set up in 2005 by Vietnamese painter Trinh Tuan and Malaysian painter Ng Bee, contributed works to the same exhibition held earlier this month at the Galleria Duemila in Pasay City in the Philippines.

All proceeds from the two exhibitions will be used to support victims of the tropical cyclone which battered the Philippines last November.

Exhibition features development of traditional musical genre

Over 200 images, artefacts, books and newspaper stories on the formation and development of don ca tai tu, Viet Nam's latest piece of world intangible cultural heritage, are being offered to the public at the Museum of the Mekong Delta city of Can Tho.

The eight-day exhibition which opened on Tuesday, aims to pay tribute to artists, composers and researchers who have created, preserved and brought awareness to the value of the distinctive musical art of southern Viet Nam.

Recognised as an intangible cultural heritage in December 2013 by UNESCO, don ca tai tu is said to have both scholarly and folk roots and developed in the south of Viet Nam in the late 19th century

It is performed at a wide range of events, including festivals, "death anniversary" rituals, and celebratory occasions. The audience can also join in by practising or creating new lyrics for songs.

The ancient art has been passed down through generation by means of official and unofficial forms of education in all 21 southern provinces. The art form is played on a variety of different instruments, including the kim (moon-shaped lute), co (two-stringed fiddle), tranh (16-string zither), ty ba (pear-shaped lute), song lang (percussion), bau (monochord) and the sao (bamboo flute).

Influenced by other forms of culture from the central and southern regions of Viet Nam, such as nhac le (ceremonial music) and hat boi (classical theatre and folk song), the music genre was added to the National List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2012.

Manzi Art Space hosts new projects

Manzi Art Space will host several new events this week, with Casual Ghosts, a collaboration of poetry and painting between Kaitlin Rees and Baptiste Gilloz, to show its fruity results at the venue from tonight.

The paintings are not of anything and so can evoke everything. They allow the viewer an open space for the projection of self, sense and nonsense. The 10 poems collected in a chapbook start with a outwards look at these works, and end by looking inwards, exploring different faces of balance in relationships. The exhibition, which runs until April 24, will include paintings, a small book of poems and a video projection.

Tomorrow night a new jazz venture, Jump for Jazz, will start at Manzi.

The first kick titled Ly Ngua O Meets Jumpforjazz will bring a blended colour of jazz to Ly Ngua O with variations of composer Do Kien Cuong's work, which were originally written for a string quartet.

On the stage will be artists Cuong (oboe), Bui Ha Mien (cello), Nguyen Bao Long (saxophone), Hoang Ha (drums), Nguyen Minh Duc (double bass) and Nguyen Huu Vuong (piano).

The show will start at 8pm at 14 Phan Huy Ich Street. For tickets details, contact jumpforjazz@gmail.com.

Discover Ha Noi with FVH city walk

The Friends Vietnam Heritage will host a walk to discover the Ngu Xa bronze-making village and the Quan Thanh Temple on Saturday.

The first English-speaking tour will offer visitors a chance to learn about bronze casting and its history in northern Viet Nam. Guests will visit a "kitchen" foundry and see the largest single poured bronze statue in the country – all on the tiny island of Ngu Xa on the east end of Truc Bach Lake.

After a one-hour lunch and refreshments, the tour will continue to discover the Quan Thanh Temple, an old Taoist temple, and its 3.7 tonne 350-year-old bronze statue of Tran Vu – Ha Noi's protector. On the way to the temple, visitors will learn about the history of Truc Bach Lake.

Visitor who wish to join one or both parts should contact Roman Szlam at FVH.CityWalks.English@gmail.com

Canadian painter unveils for one night only

Ha Noi-based Canadian artist Bounthanh Inthavaly will showcase his paintings at the Maid in Hanoi art show on Saturday.

The display presents oil and acrylic paintings, which evoke the simplicity and vibrancy of various moments, objects and people in Viet Nam. Each piece aims to highlight the elements that are sometimes missed, overlooked or ignored.

Maid in Hanoi will run for one night only, from 8pm at No 46 Xom Chua, 12 Dang Thai Mai Street.

S Korean Youtube sensation to sing in City

Seventeen year-old Sungha Jung, a South Korean acoustic fingerstyle guitarist who has risen to fame on Youtube, will perform in a concert in HCM City on April 12.

Jung will be accompanied by singer Van Mai Huong and Quang Dang, a runner-up contestant in the Vietnamese version of So You Think You Can Dance.

The concert will take place from 7– 9pm at 6 Mac Dinh Chi Street in Ben Thanh Theatre in District 1. Tickets can be bought via ticketbox.vn.

Songkran festival at Saigon Outcast

The outdoor bar Saigon Outcast will host the Songkran festival on April 13 to celebrate Thai Traditional New Year. There will be a paddling pool and water slide, as well as water balloons, food colouring powder, and music by DJs Chieu Tori, Tran Van Lai and Nick Pinions.

The festival which will begin on 2 pm at 188/1 Nguyen Van Huong St in District 2 is free.

Park Hyatt offers classic cocktails class

Park Hyatt is offering a class from 2.30-5.30 pm on how to make classic cocktails on April 19. The class will be held at the 2 Lam Son Martini Bar at the hotel on 2 Lam Son Square in District 1.

New York rapper set to drop beats

Rapper Mykki Blanco from New York will perform at the Cargo Bar on April 16. Blanco says he is inspired by Lil' Kim, Lauren Hill and Rihanna.

The performance, to begin at 9 pm, will be accompanied by local DJ T.E.A.M.S and DJ Jase.

The concert is at 7 Nguyen Tat Thanh Street in District 4.

Tien La Temple Festival opens in Thai Binh

The Tien La Temple Festival commenced on April 9 in the northern province of Thai Binh.

The temple, located in Hung Ha district, is dedicated to Vu Thi Thuc, a female general who fought the Han Chinese invaders under the leadership of the two Trung Sisters nearly 2,000 years ago.

The Tien La Temple was recognised a national historical and cultural site in 1986.

In a eulogy, Hung Ha Chairman Nguyen Hong Chuyen said the Vietnamese people will always remember General Vu Thi Thuc and other heroes for their important contributions to national independence.

The festival lasts for seven days, with a wide range of activities including the water procession and chau van singing performances as well as folk games such as wrestling, cock fighting and tug-of-war.

Hanoi exchange celebrates Asian countries’ New Year festival

A friendship exchange welcoming the traditional New Year festival of Laos, Thailand, Cambodia, Myanmar, India and Sri Lanka was held in Hanoi on April 8.

The event was organised by the Hanoi Union of Friendship Organisations (HUFO) and the six countries’ embassies in Vietnam.

Addressing the occasion, HUFO President Dao Van Binh sent his best New Year’s wishes to the people of those countries, saying that he hoped the exchange would help strengthen mutual understanding as well as tighten solidarity and co-operation between Hanoians and people in the rest of Asia.

Thai Ambassador to Vietnam Panyarak Poolthup expressed his gratitude to the HUFO for holding the event. He said he believed that the co-operation and friendship between Vietnam and the countries would be further reinforced in the future.

During the event, participants enjoyed an art performance programme and tried special Hanoian foods and traditional dishes of the other countries.

Can Tho honors Hung Kings and Don Ca Tai Tu

A special art performance celebrating the Hung Kings’ ancestral death anniversary and a ceremony receiving the UNESCO certificate recognizing Don Ca Tai Tu Nam Bo as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity were opened at Luu Huu Phuoc Park in Can Tho City on April 8.

A seminar on maintenance and preservation values of Don Ca Tai Tu was held earlier by the Department of Culture, Sport and Tourism of Can Tho Mekong City.

Don Ca Tai Tu has made UNESCO’s Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in last December. The UNESCO’s recognition brings deep pride to devotees and encourage people to maintain and preserve the traditional art.

In adiition, the first Don Ca Tai Tu, Southern Amateur Music Festival 2014, will be held in Bac Lieu Province in the Mekong Delta starting from April 20-25.

A ceremony to receive the UNESCO certificate in recognition of the Don Ca Tai Tu Nam Bo as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity will occur during the event.

Father of modern cai luong’s memorial recognized as a national historical and cultural site

The Cao Van Lau memorial site in Bac Lieu City has been recognized as a national historical cultural site.

Cao Van Lau is known as the father of cai luong, southern traditional opera. The memorial is placed where the musician was buried in 1976. It was listed as a provincial historical cultural site in 1997.

The memorial covers an area of 2,772 square and has been renovated with VND 6.3 billion.

Bac Lieu is the birthplace of classic cai luong piece “Da Co Hoai Lang” written by musician Cao Van Lau in 1919. The song is written about a wife waiting for her husband to return home from battle.

The first Don Ca Tai Tu Nam Bo, Southern Amateur Music Festival 2014, will be held in Bac Lieu Province on April 20-25.

There will be a ceremony receiving the UNESCO recognition of the genre as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity during the event.

VNA/VNS/VOV/SGGP/ND