VietNamNet Bridge – ‘Legend Makers’, by young director Bui Tien Dung, and director Victor Vu’s ‘Scandals – Red Carpet Secrets’ have won Golden Lotus awards in the feature film category of the 18th Vietnam Film Festival (VFF).

The film crews of the Legen Makers (left) and Scandals – Red Carpet Secrets at the awards ceremony. (qtv.vn)

The awards were presented yesterday evening, Oct 16, at a ceremony in Ha Long City, Quang Ninh Province.

Nhung Nguoi Viet Huyen Thoai (Legend Makers) is set in the context of the national resistance war against the US during the 1960s, when the country faced an urgent and increasing need to transport oil and petrol to the southern front. The film focuses on a character named General Dinh, based on Senior Lieutenant General Dinh Duc Thien, who deserves credit for building a 5,000-kilometre long petroleum and oil pipeline running from the north to the south during a seven-year span, from 1968 to 1975.

The film won a resounding victory at this year’s VFF, taking home most of the major awards, including the Audience Choice award and the Best Leading Actor and Actress awards, won by Truong Minh Quoc Thai and Tang Bao Quyen, respectively.

The historical plot also helped Nguyen Anh Dung earn the Best Scriptwriter award, while Nguyen Nguyen Vu was named Best Scenic Artist for his outstanding set design.

The feature film category saw another major triumph by Scandal – Bi Mat Tham Do (Scandals – Red Carpet Secrets), which reveals the untold stories in the world of modelling, and is full of tricks employed by runway models to become famous in the entertainment world.

The film earned Victor Vu the title of Best Director, while Van Trang got the award for Best Leading Actress.

Hong Thy and comedian Nguyen Thuy Linh were named Best Supporting Actresses for their performances in Suoi Nguon (Spring) and Va Anh Se Tro Lai (And You Will Come Back) in the video film and feature film categories, respectively.

The Best Supporting Actor awards in the same two categories went to Vo Chi Kien and Thai Hoa for their roles in Nuoc Mat Nguoi Cha (Father’s Tears) and Lua Phat (Once Upon a Time in Vietnam).

Nguoi Cong Su (The Partner), a Vietnam-Japan collaboration about the famous 20th-century Vietnamese nationalist Phan Boi Chau, dominated in the video film category, earning the Golden Lotus award and the titles of Best Leading Actor, Best Scenic Artist, and Best Cameraman.

In the three remaining categories, the Golden Lotus Awards were presented to Bo Vang (Yellow Ox) for best animated film, Bi Mat Nhung Pho Tuong Co (Secrets of Ancient Statues) for best scientific film, and Co Mot Co Hoi Bi Bo Lo (An Opportunity Was Missed) for the festival’s finest documentary.

Best Sound Mixing, Best Composer and eight Silver Lotus Awards were also given at the closing ceremony in each of the five categories.

Speaking at the awards, Head of the Cinematography Department Ngo Phuong Lan said that the Golden Lotus Awards were presented to cinematic works that met the four criteria set in the festival’s theme: ‘Vietnam’s Cinematography: Nationalism, Humanity, Creativity, Integration’.

The festival received 139 entries, more than in previous editions, with a marked increase in the quality of the submissions, which can lead to an increase in the quality of Vietnam’s cinematography, she said.

She also hailed the positive and enthusiastic participation in the festival of producers, actors and actresses, and film studios – both State-owned and private – who have made every effort to create high-quality cinematic works to satisfy the entertainment demand of audiences and contribute to the development of Vietnamese cinema.

The closing ceremony also saw the passing of the chairmanship for the 19th VFF in 2015 from Quang Ninh Province to Ho Chi Minh City.

The 18th VFF, co-organised by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Quang Ninh provincial People’s Committee, aimed to honour the outstanding cinematographic works and artists of the past two years and promote recently released films to Vietnamese audiences.

Source: Nhan Dan