Chu Dau pottery products set Vietnamese record

Three Chu Dau pieces, a plate and two vases, have been recognised as the largest pottery products by the Vietnam Book of Records, Hanoi Trade Corporation (Hapro) said on September 7.

The plate, measuring 1.15m in diametre, bears familiar images of Vietnamese land and people such as soldiers, Hanoi girls, dragons, birds, shrimps and flowers. It was made on the occasion of the 1,000th anniversary of Thang Long-Hanoi in 2010.

Of the two vases, one was made in the 15th century, measuring 0.86m in diametre and 1.5m in height. The vase is now on display at the Topkapisaray Museum in Turkey.

The other is a 1.78 m vase, which is decorated with patterns featuring the beauty of the four seasons and landscape in Vietnam.

Chu Dau pottery was known in the end of the 14th century and reached its peak during the 15th and 16th centuries. Chu Dau ceramics not only inherited the quintessence of those during the Ly-Tran dynasties but also was upgraded into a strain of previous pottery with bright enamel and beautiful patterns.

Joint Vietnam-RoK fashion show in Hanoi

The Republic of Korean embassy hosted a fashion show in Hanoi on September 8 featuring Hanbok and Ao Dai - the traditional Korean and Vietnamese dresses.

The event was part of activities to welcome the current State-level visit to Vietnam by RoK President Park Geun-hye.

Vietnamese and Korean models strutted their stuff on the catwalk, wearing 34 Ao Dai samples by two Vietnamese designers Si Hoang and Lan Huong, and 34 Hanbok samples by 17 Korean designers.

Si Hoang’s “Dynasty” collection expresses the solemn and splendour beauty of the former royal costumes through motifs of phoenix and sun. Meanwhile, Lan Huong’s works demonstrate the classical beauty of the long Vietnamese dress.

Hanbok collections are quite diverse, ranging from simple samples in everyday life to formal samples in great events. They also include Hanbok for teenage girls, married women, ordinary people and royal families.

RoK President Park attended the event.

Geological Museum moves to raise national position

The Vietnam Geological Museum is gradually taking steps to raise its position as the leading national standard museum specialising in geology.

Since 1991, it has completed eight, publicised 50 and conducted over 60 scientific research projects, including two on geological sanctuaries in Vietnam and geological heritage to build geological parks and protect the environment in Trinh Nu mining areas of the Central Highland province of Dak Nong.

However, according to Director of the museum La The Phuc, over 58,000 specimens, including tens of rare sample collections, are insufficient to illustrate the special features and diversity of Vietnam’s mineral resources.

Additionally, there are no documents reflecting the historical development of geology or Vietnamese geologists, Phuc added.

He cited degrading infrastructure and unappealing displays as the reasons behind the museum’s failure to win public attention.

Phuc revealed that his museum has proposed some solutions for upgrading and expanding the display areas as it needs around 2,400 square metres to meet the requirements of a national standard museum.

Established in 1914, the museum was designed to preserve and display geological specimens as well as promoting the work of studying and keeping museums alive.

Hanoi showcases French artist Lolo Zazar

An exhibition showcasing the work of renowned French artist Lolo Zazar will be held at Hanoi’s 88 Xuan Dieu Street from September 12 to October 12.

Each of the exhibition’s three floors will reflect a different aspect of Zazar’s diverse oeuvre.

The mezzanine floor—entitled “When Metal Dreams”—fuses stainless steel, mixed media, and light.

The third floor—“Rencontres”—combines stainless steel sculpture and traditional Vietnamese lacquer. Zazar welcomes viewers into another unexpected fusion of material and technique.

The fourth floor—“B-Tong” (KH CAT B TONG)—celebrates drilled and cut concrete. Hanoi’s history is engraved and emblazoned in the advertisements and phone numbers covering city walls. Zazar incorporates their trace into an exploration of humanity amidst nature and its wind, fire, water, and sun.

Zazar’s “Khoan Cat Be Tong” and “Unidentified Light Objects” were exhibited in Hanoi in May 2012 and April 2013 respectively.

Korean Film Festival begins in Hanoi

The second Korean Film Festival is currently underway at Hanoi’s MegaStar-Vincom Towers from September 6–11.

The festival’s nine exhibited films from the Republic of Korea (RoK) are Killer Toon, Deranged, The Gifted Hands, Fist of Legend, Dancing Queen, Tower, A Wedding Invitation, A Werewolf Boy, and Pororo: The Racing Adventure.

All of the films, spanning a variety of genres, have set box office records in the RoK and other Asian markets.

RoK actor Lee Ki Woo and Vietnamese actress Ngo Thanh Van are the festival’s official ambassadors.

Lee, born in 1981, is famous across Asia for his roles in 11 films and 8 television series.

"Flower Boy’s Ramen Shop", a film in which he starred, has been downloaded more than two million times. Lee also won the Modelstar Award at the recent 8th Asia Model Festival.    

Van is one of the Vietnamese entertainment industry’s most talented artists. Her legions of fans admire her work as a model, a singer and an actress.

The Korean Film Festival will open with director Kim Young-Gyun’s "Killer Toon", a psychological thriller based on a popular Korean comic.

The festival was made an annual event following the success of its first iteration in Ho Chi Minh City in October 2012.

Vietnamese films will be shown to Korean audiences at Seoul’s first ever Vietnamese Film Festival in November 2013.

Campaign launched to seek Beyonce's biggest fans

A campaign seeking the two biggest fans of the American singer, songwriter and actress Beyonce was launched on Thursday in HCM City with an online dancing competition.

The dancing contest Beyonce Now encourages its contestants to pattern their moves after the popular dances of the female singer and send their clips to the website www.pepsi.com.vn/beyonce.

All of the clips will be judged by the public.

After the online contest, the 12 best contestants will be given instruction by four young popular professional dancers, Huynh Men, Nguyen Cao Son Thach, Nguyen Minh Hang and To Lam.

Two of them will be selected as winners and will be sent to Australia to see Beyonce's "The Mrs. Carter Show World Tour".

New documentary on President Ho Chi Minh Temple filmed

The first scenes of a documentary titled Den Tho Bac Ho (President Ho Temple) by the Writers' Association Film Studios have just been shot at the Da Chong historical relic site in Ha Noi's western surburban district of Ba Vi.

Filming of the documentary will take place over three months at various sites across the country and in Laos, Mongolia, Combodia and Thailand.

The 30-minute film will feature temples dedicated to President Ho, people's respect for the late President and their contributions to the construction of the temples.

"The challenge for us is how we tell the stories of the people who built the temples dedicated to the beloved President a long time ago," said writer Nguyen Xuan Hung, director of the studio.

The documentary will also feature Ho Chi Minh memorial sites in Mongolia, Laos, Combodia and Thailand.

The documentary will be broadcast in May next year to celebrate President Ho's birthday on May 19.

‘Vietnamese Short Film Contest’ launched

The ‘Vietnamese Short Film Contest’ has been launched by the The Gioi Van Hoa (World of Culture) magazine.

The contest is open for domestic and foreign individuals and groups nationwide. Submissions can be sent to the website www.thegioivanhoa.com from September 1 to 30.

Short films of duration 5-10 minutes will be screened and should not have participated in any film competitions at home and abroad.

They should be in the Vietnamese language with English subtitles and focused on genres of feature film and comedy.

Winners of the ‘Best Comedy Short Film’ and ‘Best Feature Short Film’ will receive a cash prize of VND100 million. ‘Best Director’ will get VND50 million and a short course on film-making in the US.

The awards ceremony will take place on December 20.

Ba Ria-Vung Tau Province inaugurates Con Dao Museum

Con Dao Museum was inaugurated in Con Dao Island District in the southern province of  Ba Ria-Vung Tau on September 6,  after four years of construction with an investment of VND62 billion (US$3 million) by the  Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism.

Construction on the Museum began in 2009. About 2,000 exhibits are on display including images, artifacts and documents which feature four topics, namely, Con Dao’s natural environment and its people; The Hell on Earth; The Front Line and School; and Schools in Con Dao.

The Museum is expected to raise awareness among the local people and tourists of the heroic sacrifices made by Vietnamese soldiers during the struggle for national independence.

Fair for unique antiques in Hanoi

A weekly fair in Hanoi has become a unique venue for lovers of antiques across the country.

Many of the merchants at the market sell objects that may look like rubbish to many, but have great value to the trained eye.

The market welcomes shoppers every Saturday and is in alley 456, of Hoang Hoa Tham Road.

A great diversity of objects are sold there, from appliances to spoons, bowls and water pots. Even old high-end motorbikes can be found.

Many of the most popular items are from the Soviet period, such as old telephones and typewriters, but some of the things sold date back much longer.

Kieu Quoc Khanh, founder of Do Xua or “Old Things” market said, “The idea came from an intention to preserve traditional culture and remember it through its different periods of development, especially in Hanoi. I hope it helps young people understand their past."

He added that the market started on June 8 of this year. He initially wanted to hold it once every two weeks, but it attracted so many people that he decided to do it weekly.

Stores selling old dong money attract the most visitors.

The way of trading is also different from other modern markets. Lively auctions are often held for especially sought-after antiques.

Some of those who run the stands are not even willing to sell. They come just to display the things they have collected.

Many antique lovers travel a long distance to attend the fair, in search of that special item. Some of them are just people that have an understanding of the cultural and historical relevance of the things on display and would like to get a look.

Nguyen Hai Dong, a middle-aged man from Hanoi’s Ha Dong District said, “I’m very happy to know about this market. I bought an old dong note.”

Tran Hoang Minh Duc’s canvas recollections

Solo exhibition ‘Recollections’ by Tran Hoang Minh Duc opens tomorrow at Tu Do Gallery, taking visitors along a colorful journey of good memories in his peaceful hamlet, happy family and beloved kindergarten.

It features 21 oil on canvas works and especially Duc depicts peaceful sceneries in remote hamlets with small houses, tree lines, banana leaves and winding roads. Duc will also tell stories from the kindergarten with images of cute babies, folk games and toys.

The beauty of ladies will also be seen in Duc’s paintings. He prefers to portray girls in traditional costumes in gentle poses. The highlight from his memory bank may be family love with happy images of a full house with father, mother and kids playing together or a mother holding her son.

Duc then grows up in ‘Dance,’ presenting his teenage days with friends at dance and singing events. He also expresses his recollection in landscapes of the city and Dalat.

He passed his entrance examination with a first-rate grade for the Hue College of Fine Arts. However, to obey his parents, he studied chemistry at Hue University, graduating as a chemical engineer. Still passionate about art, he taught himself to paint and cultivated his own style.

Until now, Duc has presented exhibitions in Vietnam, Belgium, Singapore and the U.S. His paintings have gained much appreciation from the public and most have been sold out in international exhibitions.

The show runs till September 30 at the downtown gallery at 53 Ho Tung Mau Street.

Classic movie Annie Hall to be screened in Hanoi

One of the best American movies of all time, Annie Hall, directed by Woody Allen will be screened at 2:30 p.m. tomorrow at the Center for Assistance and Development of Movie Talents at 51 Tran Hung Dao Street in Hanoi.

The 1977 romantic comedy was co-written by Allen and Marshall Brickman. It follows the love story between conservative comedy actor Alvy Singer (Allen) and liberal singer Annie Hall (Diane Keaton).

The movie deals with many couple issues and it marked a major turning point for the directing career of Allen and helped him win over critics as the on-off couple’s antics produced a real gem of a movie.

Along with the 1978 Academy Award for Best Picture, Allen won Best Director and along with Brickman Best Original Screenplay. Keaton also scooped the Best Actress gong. Often listed among the greatest film comedies, it ranks 31st on AFI’s list of top feature films in American cinema, fourth on their list of top comedy films and number 28 on Bravo’s 100 Funniest Movies.

Con Son-Kiep Bac Autumn Festival begins

The Con Son-Kiep Bac Autumn Festival 2013 will start on September 14 (the tenth day of the eighth lunar month) in the northern province of Hai Duong in memory of national hero General Tran Hung Dao.

The General is one of the most revered figures in Vietnam’s history for his leading role in the country’s victory over the three invasion wars by the Mongolians in the 13 th century. He passed away on August 20 (lunar calendar) in 1300.

The ten-day festival will feature many traditional spiritual rituals such as a requiem at Con Son pagoda, a seal opening ceremony at Kiep Bac temple and a commemoration of the hero in Mam Xoi mount, plus an array of cultural and sports activities.

Covering an area of more than 8 hectares in Chi Linh district, the Con Son-Kiep Bac historical site is closely associated with the lives and causes of Tran Hung Dao and the Great Man of Culture of the World, Nguyen Trai.

The area is the site of a defence line built at the end of the 13th century to protect the Thang Long Imperial Citadel. It witnessed important battles between the Tran dynasty army and the Yuan-Mongol invaders.

Con Son, surrounded by pine trees, saw the pure and upright life of Nguyen Trai (1380-1442), one of Vietnam's most famous poets and writers.

Con Son-Kiep Bac was recognised as a national heritage in 1962 and a special national heritage in 2012.

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism has recognised Con Son-Kiep Bac spring and autumn festivals as the national intangible cultural heritage.-

VOV/SGT/SGGP/Dantri/ VNS/VNA