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Composer Pham Tuyen

VietNamNet Bridge - More than 700 submissions for State prizes and titles in literature and the arts field have been submitted to the State Level Council, Deputy Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Le Khanh Hai said.

Hai told a press conference on Thursday the submissions would be considered by 13 judging councils specialising in various fields for the Ho Chi Minh Prize, State Prize and titles of People's Artist and Meritorious Artist.

At the same meeting, ministry official Le Hai Anh announced a draft plan for converting prizes at festivals into points for artists to be considered for People's Artist and Meritorious Artist titles.

For example, in the cinema field, cinema workers would just need one Golden Lotus prize at a biennial National Film Festival to be eligible for the Meritorious title.

Similar conversions could be applied to theatrical field.

Anh said the plan, if approved, would be applied in time for judging national prizes in 2013.

Composer Pham Ngoc Khoi, vice chairman of the Viet Nam Musicians Association, a member of judging council for prizes in the music field, said the judging process had been fair. There had been complaints, but they were easily explained.

Khoi gave the example of composer Hoang Ha who had made his submissions for Ho Chi Minh Prize, for which he was ineligible.

In the case of composer Pham Tuyen, the judges had only received a reference letter from the Ha Noi Musicians Association for him to be considered for the Ho Chi Minh Prize when they also required a submission from the artist.

By July 31 this year, the council had received 17 submissions for the Ho Chi Minh Prize, 196 for the State Prize, 96 for the People's Artist title and 419 for Meritorious Artist.

The prizes and titles will be presented on the occasion of National Day (September 2).

Source: VNS