French films to be screened in Vietnam

Poster of the film The Walk.

A selection of three French films across different genres will be introduced to Vietnamese audiences at the French Cultural Centre in Hanoi.

The ten-day event, which opens on October 23, is part of the movie programme launched by the French Institute of Vietnam.

Vietnamese audiences can enjoy movies like Epic Old Man - a comedy by French Pierre Salvadori; the Walk by American Robert Zemeckis, featuring the tightrope walk between two towers conducted by Philippe Petit in 1974.

Besides, the animation Jean de la lune , which is based on the children’s book of the same name written by Tomi Ungerer, will also be screened – a joint production of directors from Germany, France and Ireland.

Hanoi Oktoberfest welcomes beer lovers

JW Marriott Hanoi Hotel, in collaboration with the German Business Association (GBA), will host the sixth Ha Noi Oktoberfest from October 22 to 24.

With a huge Festzelt beer tent set up by the lakeside which can seat for up to 1,500 people, the event will be the biggest-ever of its kind in the city. Festival goers will enjoy a buffet featuring a variety of Bavarian specialities associated with Oktoberfest such as German sausages, sauerkraut, pretzels, and free flow of premium German beer Konig Pilsner.

Anton Show Band will once again entertain the festival this year with their exciting performance.

Guests will ‘go loud' with rock and pop hits as well as popular Bavarian folk music, sing in chorus, swing beer mugs, and dance together in a great party mood.

For ticket information, contact JW Marriott Hanoi Hotel, Tel: (04) 38335588, or GBA, Tel: 0909883230 (Ms. Linh). 

High-wire artist featured in The Walk

From October 23 to November 1, L'Espace will present screenings of The Walk – a biographical drama directed by Robert Zemeckis.

The movie is based on the story of French high-wire artist Philippe Petit's walk between the Twin Towers of the World Trade Centre on August 7, 1974, which has been dubbed as the "greatest ‘illegal' performance in history".

Breath-taking moments of the performance have been depicted in the movie which is dedicated to the victims of the September 11 attacks in 2001.

Tickets costs VND60,000 each and are available at L'Espace, 24 Trang Tien Street. The Walk will be screened in the original English language with Vietnamese subtitles.

Manzi to present Viet Nam musical pieces

A concert featuring unforgettable pieces by generations of Vietnamese composers will be held at Manzi Art Space on Thursday, October 29.

Titled Generations, the concert will present the Tay Nguyen (Central Highlands) by the late composer Do Nhuan, Hoi Dem Ram (Full moon Night Festival) by Dang Hong Anh, Mua (Rain) by experimental composer Vu Nhat Tan, and Day Thi (Puberty) by female composer Kim Ngoc.

The concert will be performed by Ha Noi New Music Ensemble under the baton of Grammy-award winning conductor Jeff von der Schmidt.

The musical night will begin at 8pm, at 14 Phan Huy Ich Street. Surcharge: VND100,000/person including one drink.

Due to the limited seating capacity (acoustic concert for 30 people only), please email at manzihanoi@gmail.com before Tuesday, October 27 to reserve seats. 

Expat theatre group celebrates Halloween

Saigon Players, an English-language theatre group, will present a film screening and a party at Saigon Outcast on October 30- 31 to celebrate Halloween.

The screening of the popular Halloween movie The Rocky Horror Picture Show, released in 1975, will be featured. Live music performed by local bands and DJs, as well as a party, will follow the screening.

Participants are encouraged to dress as their favourite characters in the film. All profits from the event will be donated to local charities.

The event will begin at 7:30pm at 188/1 Nguyen Van Huong Street in District 2. Tickets priced at VND250,000 are available at the venue or via email saigonplayerstickets@gmail.com. 

Concert features German, Vietnamese singers

The Consulate General of Germany in HCM City will host a free concert The German Season in Viet Nam on October 23 to mark 40 years of diplomatic relations between the two countries.

The concert will feature Vietnamese-German singer Trong Hieu, winner of Vietnam Idol 2015, and singers Lam Vissay, Kimmese and Ho Trung Dung.

A contemporary dance programme Suong Som (The Mist) by artists from the city-based Arabesque Dance troupe will be staged.

The concert will begin at 8pm at the Opera House, 7 Lam Son Square, in District 1. To register for tickets, send an email to pr-101@hoch.auswaertiges-amt.de. 

Cambodia, Thai culture introduced to Vietnamese people

A Cambodia culture week is slated to take place in southern Ho Chi Minh City and Soc Trang province from November 8-14, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism (MCST) announced on October 21.

A delegation from the Cambodia Ministry of Culture and Fine Arts (MCFA) led by Secretary of State Menh Kossony is expected to participate in the event, which shapes part of the cultural cooperation plan between the two culture ministries.

The event aims to bring the unique culture of Cambodia to Vietnamese people via art performances, thus enhancing cultural exchanges and promoting friendship between the two countries.

On October 27, a Thai art troupe will arrive in Hanoi to engage in the Thai traditional Loy Krathong festival to be held by the Vietnam Performing Arts Centre in conjunction with the Thai Embassy in Vietnam.

The festival is to celebrate the 39th anniversary of Vietnam-Thailand diplomatic ties.

Loy Krathong is observed on the night of December 15 according to Thai calendar. It is considered the most romantic flower garlands and coloured lanterns festival in Thailand and contains a lot of mythological factors.

In Thai language, “Loy” means “float” and “Krathong” means “flower garlands”. The festival is an occasion for Thai people to express their gratitude to the goddess of water Phra Mae Kongka.

Gu Bla – unique sculpture of Cor people

Gu Bla, one of the main sculptural works used in the Cor ethnic group’s buffalo sacrifice festival in Tra Bong district in the central province of Quang Ngai, is slowly being forgotten as the festival’s popularity decreases. 

Gu Bla consists of Gu Pi and Gu Po, which represent the feminine and the masculine, manifesting the existence of races in the Cor people’s beliefs. They are connected to each other by a square trunk, making them inseparable. 

On the left of Gu Bla is the image of a wingspan cheo peo bird, which is seen as an “idol” since he, like the Cor people, is indomitable against any dangerous animal in the forest despite his small appearance. 

Gu Bla vividly captures the changes in the universe with various patterns symbolising objects like birds, plants, mountains, rivers, the sun and the moon. 

The sculpture, which was designed to unite the community, stands solemnly in the centre of the house of the family that hosts the buffalo sacrifice festival. 

Apart from sending prayers for good luck, Gu Bla also demonstrates sentiments between family members, or between the hosts and their guests. 

Nguyen Thanh Tung, head of the Tra Bong Office for Culture and Information, said a model of Gu Bla was on display at the district’s traditional stilt house, which also showcases other valuable Cor objects. 

Cao Chu, Deputy Director of the Quang Ngai provincial Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, said his department was considering suggesting the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism recognise Gu Bla as national intangible cultural heritage. 

The department has also introduced Gu Bla in museums, books and newspapers, and encouraged local people to preserve the traditional sculpture.

Young Hanoi enthusiasts hold cycling event to explore city

A cycling event is scheduled to take place on October 24 for young Hanoi enthusiasts to explore the history and culture of the thousand-year-old capital city.
The tour, organised by a group of students from the Academy of Journalism and Communication, will pass through four historical sites beginning at the Museum of National History.
At each site, cycling teams will participate in various challenges, including quizzes and games to learn more about the history and culture associated with that site and find out their next destination.
As part of the event, there will be a photo exhibition on Hanoi under French colonial rule, a re-enactment of Hanoi’s cultural characteristics and an ao dai show.
The cycling tour promises to be a unique and exciting journey for those who want to discover Hanoi and help strengthen the love for the capital city among young people.

STB offers free Singapore tours through photo contest

The Singapore Tourism Board (STB) is holding an online photo contest called Singapore Invites, or SG Invites, in which contestants can share their photos about Singapore and get a chance to visit the country at no cost, STB announced in a statement.

The SG Invites contest is open to all people aged above 18 from around the world until December 6.

The winner will be offered a free tour package to Singapore which includes two-way tickets, three-night stay at hotel for four people at most, and a chance to experience the dream they choose among selected wishes with their companions when participating in the contest.

Participants are requested to share one or more photos about their memories they have in Singapore or any photos which can inspire them to visit the country.

Along with their photos, they should tell the organizers who they want to choose as their companions and why the dream experience they choose is meaningful to them in a caption within 150 words.

They can post the photos along with the caption on the website www.yoursingapore.com/singaporeinvites or on Instagram along with hashtag #SingaporeInvites and their country of residence, and get as many “Likes” as they can to increase the chances of winning.

Glenn Koh, area director of STB for Vietnam, said SG Invites is the first global contest of Singapore to give inspiration to people around the world to visit the country with their beloved ones.

Those interested can visit the website www.yoursingapore.com/singaporeinvites for further information.

Twelve young pop idols join “12 Horoscopes” festival in town

Twelve young local pop idols will participate in a “The secrets of 12 Horoscopes” festival on November 1 at Phu Tho Indoor Stadium in HCMC’s District 11. 

“The secrets of 12 Horoscopes” is a popular publication among local teenagers and there have been many offline events related to 12 horoscopes in town. Thus, Ngoi Sao Viet Company and the community of 12 horoscopes are joining hands to host the upcoming event. 

Participants will have the opportunity to enjoy numerous entertainment activities and music performances, and exchange with 12 young stars, including Son Tung M-TP, Tien Tien, Giang Hong Ngoc, Karik, Bao Thy and DJ Hoang Anh, who represent 12 zodiac signs.

Japanese earthquake-devastated region to be featured in photos

The Viet Nam Fine Arts Museum will host a photo exhibition on natural landscapes and cultural activities in Tohoku taken by Japanese photographers.

The exhibition was curated by Kotaro Iizawa and held for the first time one year after the 2011 earthquake in Tohoku. The exhibition has been held in many countries around the world such as the US, Macedonia, New Zealand and Romania.

The photos of Tohoku do not attempt to show the extent of the damage or recovery, but represent the varied faces of Tohoku, such as festivals, folk religious rites and the photographers' personal histories with the landscapes of their home regions.

The exhibition will highlight Jomon culture, which is the deepest traditional Japanese culture and has been gradually fading away. The legacy of Jomon still lives and breathes in Tohoku.

About 120 photos including black and white, and colour will be displayed at the museum from October 30 to November 13 at 66 Nguyen Thai Hoc Street. 

Charity Cycle Adventure to raise funds for children

The 6th annual Charity Cycle Adventure to be held on November 27-29 will feature a three-day ride through beautiful scenery to raise funds for disadvantaged children.

The money will be given to Sai Gon Children's Charity to help eliminate poverty and provide life-changing educational opportunities for disadvantaged children.

Five previous rides raised more than US$200,000 for scholarships and training, and funds to help build a school.

This year, the ride will go through the Central Highlands from Buon Me Thuot to Da Lat, before making the long descent to the sea at Nha Trang.

The three-day, 300-km ride begins off-road through ethnic villages, following rivers and passing scenic coffee plantations before reaching beautiful Lak Lake in the afternoon.

The second day will see the riders confront many uphill challenges on the climb up to Da Lat at an elevation of 1,500m.

On day three, the riders will drop down through the mountains to Nha Trang for a ride along the scenic coastal roads, promising a variety of breathtaking landscape on the way, as well as a 2,000m pass.

The registration fee of US$675 covers all costs for the ride. 

Cambodia Culture Week to be held in Ho Chi Minh City and Soc Trang

The Cambodia Culture Week 2015 is scheduled to be held in Ho Chi Minh City and the southern province of Soc Trang from November 8-14.

During the week-long event, a series of art performances featuring dances and songs imbued with traditional Cambodian culture, and numerous exhibitions will be organised. 

The event aims to strengthen cultural exchanges between the two countries by helping Vietnamese people better understand Cambodian people and their customs.

It also seeks to promote the traditional solidarity and friendship between Vietnamese and Cambodian peoples.

The event is jointly organised by the Vietnamese Ministry of Culture, Sport and Tourism and the Cambodia Ministry of Culture and Fine Arts. 

Food, drink and lifestyle event taking place in town

An event on a range of lifestyle, food and drink as well as art activities called M Residence is taking place in HCMC’s until October 26.

The event is expected to gather over 1,000 people who come for the fine dining experience, drink tasting and exploration of craftsmanship at Ly Club in District 3.

Participants will be invited to try a range of cocktails created by mixologists from around the world, including Anthony Zhong from Singapore, Ben David-Sorum from Sweden, Greg Jacob from New Zealand, Richie Fawcett from England, and Colin Tait from Scotland.

M Residence guides visitors through a series of free-entrance art exhibitions, with each focusing on the theme of the “perfect gentleman”. Visitors can admire artworks by world-renowned photographer Mario Testino.

Highlights of the event are the tasting of drinks on offer at VND290,000 (US$12.9) per person and the fine dining treat for VIP guests at VND1.5 million per person.

Those interested can visit https://ticketbox.vn/mresidence for further information and how to secure a ticket for the event. Ly Club is located at 143 Nam Ky Khoi Nghia Street.

Over 5,000 join Canon’s photo contest

In Canon’s quick photography competition late last week with more than 5,000 people in HCMC attending, Le Duc Bao An won the grand prize that consists of a Canon EOS 6D, photo printer PIXMA Ip7270 and the opportunity to participate in a photo clinic in Japan. This is the 10th time that Canon has run the competition in Vietnam.

To help level the playing field for photographers with varying levels of experience, the judges assessed entries based not only on technical aspects but also on the contestants’ creativity and ability to communicate through their photographs.

Canon PhotoMarathon is a “quick photography” contest that originated in Singapore and has been held annually in Vietnam by Canon Marketing Vietnam Co. Ltd.  The competition is open to all photography lovers in Vietnam, and has no limits on age, experience, nationality or photography equipment brand. Over the course of the day, each contestant receives three topics at different times. After taking photographs relevant to all three topics, an award ceremony and entertainment programs are held at the competition venue. Having been successfully held in HCMC, the Hanoi installment of the Canon PhotoMarathon will be held on October 24. The grand prize winner will be awarded a Photo Clinic trip to Japan, joining other winners of the competition from neighboring countries such as Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, India, Cambodia and Thailand. Additionally, the winners of this special prize will be given a Canon EOS 6D camera and a PIXMA iP7270 photo printer.

The contest in HCMC also awarded prizes for first, second, and third place.

The grand prize winning photo of this year’s Canon PhotoMaratho contest in HCMC by author Le Duc Bao An 

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