VietNamNet Bridge – The Vietnam Cinema Administration has announced that Vietnam would not send any movie to the upcoming Oscar.

A scene from "Bi, don’t be afraid".

The agency said that many highly-commented movies failed to meet the regulations of the US Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, while those that satisfy regulations are not highly appreciated.

Do Duy Anh, chief of Vietnam Cinema Administration’s International Relations Department, remarked that many films praised for good quality don’t have English subtitles and have not been screened at cinemas yet, so they are barred from the contest. Among them are big movies like “Step Up”, “Long Thanh Cam Gia Ca” and “Crossing Shanghai Port”.

However, some are only for entertainment, so they stand no chance. Meanwhile, “Fool for Love”, “Clash” and “Inferno” are Hollywood-style, so there is some hope for them.

Experts said that sending movies to the Oscar is unpractical for Vietnam movies in the current situation, because Vietnam sent its pictures (Don’t Burn, White Silk Dress, Buffalo Boy, Pao’s Story) several times but it has never entered the list of five nominees for the Best Foreign Film competition.

Recently, many Vietnamese films attended prestigious film festivals in the world. “Lonely” and “Bi, don’t be afraid” won some prizes at the Venice Film Festival 2009 and Cannes Film Festival 2010. But the Oscar is still out of reach.

If Vietnam sent a movie to the Oscar 2011, it would not have a chance to enter the top five nominees as there are many strong rivals, including Bal (Honey) from Turkey, which won the Golden Bear Award at the Berlin Film Festival 2010, "Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives" from Thailand, the Golden Palm Award winner at the Cannes Film Festival 2010 and China’s Aftershock.

In the history of the Oscar’s Best Foreign Film category since 1947, European movies won up to 51 out of 62 prizes.

Hanh Phuong