FVH to screen documetary ‘Camouflage’

Late painter Huỳnh Phương Đông — Photo nld.vn

The Friends of Vietnam Heritage will host a film night at the Centre for Development of Movie Talent (TPD) on Saturday.

The event will present the documentary Camouflage: Vietnamese Brush Strokes with History, directed by Bestor Cram, with English subtitles. The film shares the stories of multiple generations of Vietnamese painters who discuss their work as a revelation of sacrifice and courage.

Artists featured in the documentary includes Nguyễn Thế Sơn, Huỳnh Phương Đông, Vũ Kim Thư, Lê Trí Dũng, Đào Anh Khánh, Lê Huy Tiếp, Dinh Q. Lê (Lê Quang Đỉnh), Lê Lam, Phạm Huy Thông and Đặng Xuân Hòa.

The movie was produced in 2017 by David Thomas, who has contributed significantly to cultural exchange between Việt Nam and the US and helped Vietnamese artists study in the US. The documentary has been introduced at the Woods Hole Film Festival – an annual film festival in the US to showcase independent filmmakers’ work.

The screening at TPD will start at 7.30pm, with an entry fee of VNĐ150,000. Contact Ms Vân at phuongvan272@gmail.com for tickets. TPD is at 51 Trần Hưng Đạo Street. 

Movies about Burkina Faso presented at Hanoi DocLab

'Burkinabè Bounty' is among two documentaries presented by Hanoi DocLab on Friday night.

DocLab – the Hanoi Center for Documentary Films & the Moving Image will present two documentaries about Burkina Faso – a country in West Africa – during a screening tomorrow night, Friday, January 18.

The movies presented include Burkinabè Rising: The Art of Resistance in Burkina Faso directed by Iara Lee (from the Cultures of Resistance Films). A small landlocked country in West Africa, Burkina Faso is home to a vibrant community of artists, musicians and citizens who carry on the revolutionary spirit of Thomas Sankara, killed in a coup d’état led by his best friend and advisor Blaise Compaoré, who then ruled the country as an autocrat for 27 years, until a massive popular insurrection led to his removal. Today, the spirit of resistance and political change is mightier than ever and it permeates every aspect of the Burkinabe life. It is an inspiration, not only to Africa, but to the rest of the world.

The second one is Burkinabè Bounty, which chronicles agricultural resistance and the fight for food sovereignty in Burkina Faso. Showcasing activist farmers, students, artists, and leaders in the local Slow Food movement, the film looks at how the Burkinabè people are reclaiming their land and defending their traditions against the encroachment of corporate agriculture. From women gaining economic independence by selling "dolo" beer – beer brewed from sorghum, a cereal crop that grows well in the dry, nutrient-poor soil, to youth marching in the streets against companies like Monsanto, to hip-hop musicians reviving the revolutionary spirit of Thomas Sankara, Burkinabè Bounty shows the creative tactics people are using to take back control of their food, seeds, and future.

The screening will start at 6.30pm. DocLab is at No 11, Lane 378/12 Thuỵ Khuê Street, Tây Hồ District.

Print exhibition at Manzi

Phạm Khắc Quang will have his 4th solo exhibition held at Manzi Art Space from Friday, January 18. — Photo soi.today

An exhibition by print artist Phạm Khắc Quang opens tomorrow at Manzi Art Space.

Entitled In Vitra +, the exhibition is the artist’s fourth, showing a body of work created from an ambition to focus solely on his technique and a subversion of the traditional printing technique.

Known for his evocative artworks with a strong personal narrative and connection finding beauty the ordinary, in this exhibition, Quang offers an in-depth study and creation of a pioneering process and technique where the artist tests their capability.

The free entrance exhibition will open to public until February 18. Manzi Art Space is at 14 Phan Huy Ích Street. 

Family Fun Day at the Hive Saigon

The Family Fun Day will be held from 12pm to 4pm on January 19 at the Hive Saigon in 29 Nguyễn Bá Lân St in HCM City’s District 2.

The Family Fun Day will be held from 12pm to 4pm on January 19 at the Hive Saigon on 29 Nguyễn Bá Lân St in HCM City’s District 2.

The event will have a range of activities such as pool party, games, photos with the princess, food, and performances to keep the whole family entertained.

All proceeds will go towards the Christina Noble Children’s Foundation to support Tết (Lunar New Year) gifts for children in need in Việt Nam.

Tickets are VNĐ200,000 for adults and VNĐ100,000 for children under 12, including four tokens to play games. 

“Classical Favorites” musical night at Salon Saigon

The "Classical Favorites" musical night will be held from 6.30pm to 8pm on January 20 at Salon Saigon on 6d Ngô Thời Nhiệm St in HCM City’s District 3.

The “Classical Favorites” musical night will be held from 6.30pm to 8pm on January 20 at Salon Saigon on 6d Ngô Thời Nhiệm St in HCM City’s District 3.

The event includes classical music and visual arts in an inspiring artistic venue.

The concert programme is curated by Saigon Classical, an organisation that aims to introduce Vietnamese classical performers to the public and create a platform for classical music lovers in the city.

Tickets are VNĐ200,000 and VNĐ450,000.

Year of the PIG, say it with Flowers

There'll be pigs aplenty on the streets of Việt Nam as the country gets set to start the Year of the Pig. On HCM City's Nguyễn Huệ Street, preparations are underway to turn the road into a sea of flowers, but it'll be the pigs hogging all the limelight. 
Goodwill ambassador for Japanese cherry blossom to be chosen

A goodwill ambassador will be selected for the first time during the Japan cherry blossom festival –Hanoi 2019 slated for March 29-31 in the capital city.

The Vietnamese goodwill ambassador for cherry blossom must have a passion for enhancing the Vietnam-Japan friendship as well as knowledge of and interest in Japan and N4-level Japanese speaking ability. 

Unmarried Vietnamese women who are above 18 years old and live in Hanoi are eligible to apply for the selection, which will last from January till March 2019.

The winner will be introduced to the public at the opening ceremony of the festival, scheduled to take place on March 29 evening.

The festival features many cultural exchanges, including a display of Japanese cherry blossoms and some special Vietnamese flowers. 

Japanese tea culture, chess, Yosakoi – a unique style of dance staged by large teams - and folk games, along with Vietnamese arts like ca tru (ceremonial singing) and hat xam (blind wanderers’ music) will also be introduced during the festival.

Visitors to the festival will have a chance to taste Japanese and Vietnamese dishes to be showcased at about 20 pavilions at the Hanoi Children’s Palace. 

There will also be investment and tourism promotion conferences, and exchange programmes on education and health care. 

Jointly held by the Hanoi People’s Committee and the Japanese Embassy in Vietnam, the festival aims to promote the images of the country, culture and people of Japan, and bring Vietnamese and Japanese people closer.

Hai Phong preserves Dum singing

Hat dum or Dum singing is a kind of love duet that is often performed when spring arrives. It is part of the unique culture of northern Vietnam’s coastal people. Associated particularly with Hai Phong city’s Thuy Nguyen district, the art form has been designated a national intangible cultural heritage.

It is said that Dum singing began with a traditional custom of people in Thuy Nguyen that women were supposed to keep their faces covered with a veil at all times. Hat dum is associated with the moment the girls uncover their faces at a festival known as the festival of unveiling. On this day, the village boys and girls gather at the communal house of the village where they sing love songs to each other.

Dum singing usually takes place at temple or pagoda festivals. It is sung solo or by groups of boys and girls. A boy will approach and sing to a girl that he has feelings for. The girl will unveil if she also has feelings for the boy. She will then hand him a souvenir and invite him home for dinner later that day.

Phung Van Manh, Director of Thuy Nguyen district’s Information and Culture Center, told VOV "Dum songs are about everything – greetings, declarations of love, or requests for wedding gifts, or about trees, animals, or the stars in the sky, or changes to each other’s poetry skills. Dum songs often reflect the wisdom and humor of old people."

As the popularity of Dum singing began to fade in the late 20th century, Thuy Nguyen authorities have taken steps to restore the art form. Spring festivals involving Dum singing have been revived, and clubs and training classes have been organized to teach Dum singing to the younger generation. Dinh Thi Yen, an 8th grader at Lap Le secondary school in Thuy Nguyen district, has belonged to a Dum singing club for 4 years.

"My parents encouraged me to join a Dum singing club to help preserve our traditional culture. I was shy about singing at first but I’ve improved a lot, thanks to the senior Dum singers who are our teachers," said Yen.

Dum singing is being revitalized in many localities in Vietnam’s northern delta and is now performed regularly at spring festivals.    

Australia Day community event slated for Jan 20 in HCMC

The Australian Consulate General in HCMC, in coordination with Taste of Australia, will organize the third Australia Day community event on RMIT University Vietnam’s Saigon South Campus in District 7 on January 20.

Taking place from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m., the event will feature multiple interactive sports and games, live entertainment and Australian food and beverages.

Entertainment will include families’ favorite activities such as Zorb Balls, tug of war, sack races, slip and slide, cricket, golf and rugby for kids and adults alike. 

Live performances will keep participants entertained while dining on iconic Australian dishes and a barbecue prepared by some leading hotels, restaurants and Australia chefs in the city.

Visitors can also take part in the best dress competition to win awesome prizes.

Tickets cost VND250,000 per adult, including five food and beverage vouchers, VND150,000 per child under 18, including three food and beverage vouchers, and free for children under 2 years old. There is also a family package for two adults and two children under 18, costing VND750,000.

Tickets are available at the Caravelle Saigon Hotel, 19-23 Lam Son Square, District 1; Mekong Merchant, 23 Thao Dien, District 2; and Meatworks Butchery, 401 Pham Thai Buong, District 7.

Proceeds from the event will go to charity.

Vietnamese version of Korean variety show ‘Running Man’ to begin filming

Popular Korean variety show “Running Man” will be made in Vietnamese and broadcast from April.

Filming will begin at the end of January, and terrestrial channel HTV7 will air it every Saturday at 7:30 p.m starting April 6.

The Vietnamese version will feature a celebrity cast comprising actor Tran Thanh, actor-singer Ngo Kien Huy, actress Ninh Duong Lan Ngoc, actor-singer Jun Pham, comedian BB Tran, actor-singer Truong The Vinh, and actor Lien Binh Phat.

It will be produced in collaboration with the original "Running Man" production staff from the Republic of Korea (RoK). 

Choi So Hyun, a production designer at Korean channel Seoul Broadcasting System (SBS), which produced the original "Running Man," said: "Vietnamese viewers really enjoy Korean variety programs. We hope to capture their hearts by producing a charming ‘Running Man’ that meets that expectation."

Yoon Sang Seob of Vietnamese media firm Lime Entertainment, which will co-produce the Vietnamese version, said: "We’ve previously worked with SBS to make the successful variety program ‘Oh! My Baby’, building local know-how in the process. We will do our best with the Korean production staff to make ‘Running Man’ also a success."

Last month SBS made headlines in Vietnam for being the only terrestrial TV channel in RoK to broadcast the final of the AFF Championship, which Vietnam won for the first time in a decade.

"Running Man" is a variety show where a number of participants compete with each other to complete a series of missions and become the winner at the end of a ‘race.’ It has been adapted in countries like China.