Tuong Vy crowned Miss Vietnam Continents

Coming from HCM City, Tuong Vy beat out other beauties around the world, winning Miss Vietnam Continents 2014 in California, the US, on August 9.

The 20-year-old girl who was born in the north-central province of Thanh Hoa, Vietnam, is 1m74 tall.

She impressed the jury by her perfect body, cleverness and demonstrating skills in the three parts of the contest, namely Ao Dai (traditional long dress), evening gown, bikini and Q&A.

Tung Ngo from Boston won the Mr Vietnam Continents pageant on the same day.

Ngoc Trinh was crowned Miss Vietnam Continents three years ago.

Hanoi Int'l Film Festival to spotlight sustainable development

Local and international filmmakers are invited to attend in the 3rd Hanoi International Film Festival (HANIFF) slated from November 23-27.

The festival will be held in Hanoi by the Vietnam Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism's Department of Cinema with theme Cinema – Integration and Sustainable Development.

Short movies and English-subtitled motion pictures that premiered worldwide from October, 2012 to October, 2014 and weren't entered into any international film festival in Southeast Asia will be eligible for the HANIFF.

The 3rd HANIFF will include competitions, panoramic screenings, a Vietnamese film programme, a HANIFF campus, a film project market, exhibition and seminars.

Information and registration details are available on the website www.haniff.vn. Applicants should submit completed forms via email: info@haniff.vn no later than September 15.

Vietnamese women honoured in France

An exhibition of 40 propaganda posters glorifying the bravery of Vietnamese women during wartime in the second half of the 20th century has gone on display at the Quai Branly Museum in Paris.

The exhibition, which lasts from June 24 to September 28, highlights how, in spite of many obstacles, Vietnamese women defied all odds and contributed significantly to the cause of national construction and defence.

Propaganda posters constituted a new fine art form in the late 20th century and had a tremendous impact on the thinking, sentiments and actions of people.  The Vietnamese painters, with their skillful hands, made them more comprehensible to audiences.

Visitors to the exhibition report they are very impressed by the wide diversity of the images which run the gamut of contemporary life including scenes such as Vietnamese women shooting down a B52 bomber, working hard in the rice fields, and teaching their children.

The displayed artworks aim to help international friends understand more about the origin of Vietnam’s traditional culture which is nurtured by the heroic spirit and deep love of Vietnamese women for their family and homeland.

Christine Hemmet, a guide at Quai Branly Museum, said the exhibits, mostly created by female artists, highlight women’s significant contributions to Vietnam’s revolutionary achievements and honour their role in the past struggles against US and French invaders, as well as the present process of national construction and development.

Hanoi to host ASEAN Solidarity Week

Ten ASEAN nations will attend a solidarity week scheduled to take place from November 18-23 at Hanoi’s Vietnam National Village for Ethnic Culture and Tourism, according to the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism (MCST).

During the event themed “One Vision, One Identity, One Community” ASEAN nations will promote tourism, introduce cultural heritage and conduct a wide variety of art performances and traditional costume shows.

Vietnam’s ethnic groups will introduce their culinary arts, intangible cultural heritage examples such as Ca Tru (ceremonial singing), Quan Ho (traditional love duet singing) and a Gong performance from the Central Highlands region as well as the country’s unique cultural characteristics.

The festivities also aim to highlight distinctive cultural values, and great efforts in preserving ASEAN nations’ cultural heritage, strengthening mutual understanding and cultural exchange towards a united, dynamic, and prosperous ASEAN community.  

Five night medley to pay tribute to playwright Luu Quang Vu

Five of Luu Quang Vu's plays will be staged in an event named Remember Him, which pays tribute to the playwright in honour of the 26th anniversary of his passing.

Hon Truong Ba Da Hang Thit (Truong Ba's Soul, Butcher's Body) and Benh Si (Egotism) will be perfomed by the Viet Nam National Drama Theatre. Loi The Thu 9 (The Ninth Oath), Nang Sita (Lady Sita) and Mua Ha Cuoi Cung (The Last Summer) will be performed by the Youth Theatre of Viet Nam.

The plays will be staged from August 28 to September 1 at the Ha Noi's Friendship Culture Palace. The event is co-organised by Viet Nam National Drama Theatre, Youth Theatre of Viet Nam, Viet Nam Cheo Theatre and Dong Do Art Culture Introduction JSC.

Vietnam attends ASEAN Food and Cultural Festival

The annual ASEAN Food and Cultural Festival held in the capital city of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, on August 8, attracted the participation of many ASEAN countries, including Vietnam.

The festival was part of activities celebrating the 47th anniversary of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).

The festival had 23 booths, of which Vietnam’s stand displayed traditional dishes characterizing the country’s gastronomy culture and fruit carving art.

Addressing the opening ceremony, Malaysian Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin stressed that the event is a good opportunity to strengthen solidarity and cultural exchange between ASEAN members.

Within the framework of the festival, an art performance featuring national identities of 10 ASEAN countries was held.

VTV, RoK firm co-operate to produce film

Vietnam Television Film Centre (VFC) and CJ E&M Pictures, a subsidiary of CJ Group from Korea, are set to start filming the production of a motion picture entitled "Forever Young" on August 10.

“This is part of a national strategy to boost co-operation with regional partners with the aim of enhancing the country’s entertainment sector,” a VFC representative said a press conference in Hanoi on August 8.

As it is a joint film product, Vietnamese and Korean playwrights are free to show off their skills, expecting to introduce both cultures to their audiences. It will be produced by three young Vietnamese and Korean directors.

The film includes performances by a vast array of well-known Korean and Vietnamese film stars including Kang Tae Oh, Shin Hae Sun, Shin Jae Ha, Roh Haeng Ha, Hong Dang, Viet Anh, Nha Phuong, and Kim Tien.

It features stories about the lives, dreams, and choices of young people struggling with the mixed and oftentimes conflicting emotions of friendship and love.

The motion picture is expected to debut in late 2014 and will be aired in a number of Southeast Asian nations and the US via M Channel.

Producer Paul Welsh to hold film seminar in Hanoi

Famous producer Paul Welsh, whose “Skeletons” has been nominated as a BAFTA Outstanding Debut Feature, is coming to Hanoi in late September for a seminar with 30 local young filmmakers.

On September 26, Welsh will lead a seminar focusing on “pitching” – an all too often neglected art that involves a filmmaker presenting an idea for a screenplay or film in the most convincing manner in hopes of attracting money from investors and sponsors to pay for the cost of production.

Having an idea that is attractive to the audience is a challenge for filmmakers, Welsh says.

Moreover, he says the idea of having to pitch investors and sponsors to raise funds to produce the film is even a greater obstacle for both Vietnamese and foreign filmmakers.

The seminar, organized by British Council in Vietnam in co-ordination with Red Bridge TV & Film Production, is free for young filmmakers.     

Hue plans to build trademark protection for its specialties

In Hue, where food is an important element of the culture, local authorities plan to register for trademark protection for several local food specialties.

Under the plan, bun bo Hue (Hue-style beef noodle soup) and me xung (sesame candy) will enjoy trademark protection around the world. Local authorities are also working on intellectual property documents for ruoc (shrimp paste) and com vua, a rice dish once prepared for the imperial court.

The plan also sets out a roadmap to protect 89 other local products including tram oil, a medicinal oil extracted from cajuput leaves, and bronze products made at Phuong Duc village.

The Thua Thien – Hue People's Committee, which came up with the plan, hopes it will promote production of these specialties as well as protecting their trademarks.

Discovery illuminates ancient VN

Scientists from the Viet Nam Archaeology Institute have found more traces of early human settlement in the Dong Van karst plateau in northern Ha Giang Province.

Trinh Nang Chung, head of the excavation team, said the discoveries were made in the beds of ancient rivers and a cave in Dong Van, Meo Vac, Yen Minh and Quan Ba districts.

Hundreds of objects, including highly polished stone tools dating back 4,000 to 20,000 years, have been found, further indicating a long and continuous history of human habitation.

Chung said the scientists had been examining the karst plateau since 2005. They have discovered more than 20 sites with traces of humans from the Palaeolithic Age (20,000 years before the present) to the Iron Age (2,500 years ago). In 2010, the plateau was recognised by UNESCO as one of 77 outstanding geological parks in the world and the second in Southeast Asia.

A master plan to develop the Dong Van Geopark by 2020 has already been drafted. It will span more than 2,300sq.km in the four districts.

Europe-Asia contemporary dance comes to Hanoi

The Hanoi-based Youth Theatre will play host to the fourth Europe Meets Asia in Contemporary Dance from September 24-28, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism has announced.

This year’s festival will see the participation of Belgium’s Wallonie-Bruxelles delegation to Vietnam, the Swedish embassy, the Japan Foundation Centre for Cultural Exchange in Vietnam, and the Ho Chi Minh City Dance School.

Additionally, 16 artists from Germany, France, Sweden, the Czech Republic, Mozambique, Singapore, Malaysia and Japan will perform a broad spectrum of contemporary dance to soundtracks ranging from hip-hop through electronic to classical music.

The festival has successfully contributed to a growing awareness of contemporary dance in Hanoi since 2011 and has been well received by both audiences and the media over the years.