The first film by popular concert organiser Nguyen Quang Huy won six Golden Kite awards, the annual awards bestowed by the Viet Nam Cinema Association, in a ceremony held in the capital on Saturday.
The "Idol" film crew.
Than Tuong (Idol) tells the story of Tri, an ethnic Hoa (Vietnamese with Chinese origin) living in HCM City, and his path to becoming a music idol. Despite his father's disapproval, he works hard to become a concert organiser and then a singer.
The film gathers popular names in Vietnamese showbiz like singers Hoang Thuy Linh, Noo Phuoc Thinh, Dong Nhi and Ong Cao Thang and Miss Viet Nam 2006 Mai Phuong Thuy.
It won the Golden Kite awards for Best Feature and the 2013 Journalism Choice award for Best Movie, as well as the awards for Best Director (director Nguyen Quang Huy), Best Cameraman (Trang Cong Minh), Best Designer (Ngo Phuoc Truong) and Best Supporting Actor (Ngo Kien Huy in the role of Le Tran Nguyen).
"In more than 20 years working as a concert organiser, I haven't produced anything that got any nominations, let alone won anything. This is the first time I joined the Golden Kite Award event and I just want to meet my colleagues," director Huy said. "If after receiving an award, people forget to continue to work even harder, then the award is meaningless. Tonight my team and I will celebrate our victory, but tomorrow we will continue to work on our next project."
Explaining the movie's great victory, director Nguyen Vinh Son, head of the jury, commented that the film was pure entertainment."Though it did not top the box office list, it is a good film in every way," he said. "Its content is familiar, yet the filmmakers were creative in setting up scenes and dialogue and music with lots of meaning."
This year, 13 feature movies, 15 television series, 14 cartoons, 50 documentaries, 12 scientific documentaries, 45 short films and 4 cinema research works competed for Golden Kite Awards.
State-funded Nhung Nguoi Viet Nen Huyen Thoai (The Legend Makers) was the only political movie.
"Yet the movie could not take the Golden Kite award as there were some irrelevant details," Son said. "That's why we are creating a new award for movies on war themes to encourage filmmakers to create historical films."
In the same ceremony, the participants recognised late People's Artist Pham Van Khoa, among the first founders of Vietnamese cinema and the first director of the Viet Nam Film Studio, now Viet Nam Feature Film Studio. This year would be his 100th birthday. — VNS
The Golden Kite Awards 2013's main results
Feature Film
Golden Kite: Than Tuong (Idol) (director Nguyen Quang Huy)
Silver Kite: Teo Em (director Charlie Nguyen); Am Muu Giay Got Nhon (How to Fight in Six Inch Heels) (director Ham Tran)
Journalism Award - for Best Feature Movie: Idol
Special Award for Movie on War and Revolutionary Theme: The Legend Makers
Best Playwright: none
Best Director: Nguyen Quang Huy (Idol)
Best Cameraman: Trang Cong Minh (Idol)
Best Designer: Ngo Phuoc Truong (Idol); Nguyen Nguyen Vu (The Legend Makers)
Best Music: Nguyen Manh Duy Linh (Duong Dua/The Race); Hoang Luong and Banh Bac Hai (The Legend Makers)
Best Supporting Actor: Ngo Kien Huy (for the role of Le Tran Nguyen in Idol)
Best Supporting Actress: Thuy Linh (for the role of Trang Ly in Va Anh Se Tro Lai (And You Will Return)
Best Actor: Thai Hoa (role Teo in Teo Em)
Best Actress: Kathy Uyen (role Anne in How to Fight in Six Inch Heels)
Short Film
Golden Kite: none
Silver Kite: Con Duong Di Hoc (Way to School) director Ha Le Diem
Duong Ve (The Way Back) director Dinh Tran Viet Thuy
Thieu (Lack) director Le Hieu
Cartoon
Golden Kite: Dan Seu Tro Ve (Cranes Return), director Doan Minh Uyen
Silver Kite: My Chau Trong Thuy, director Pham Ngoc Tuan
Bay Ve Phia Bau Troi (Flying to the Sky), director Nguyen Thi Hong Linh
Television Film
Golden Kite: Thuyen Giay (Paper Boats), director Nham Minh Hien
Silver Kite: Hue - Mua Mai Do (Hue in Red Ochna Season), director Tran Vinh
Cham Tay Vao Noi Nho (Touching Nostalgia), director Vu Hong Son
Best Director: Nham Minh Hien ( Paper Boats)
Best Actor: Quang Tuan (role Binh in Paper Boats)
Best Actress: Ngoc Lan (role Huong Thao in Paper Boats)
Source: VNS