VietNamNet Bridge – German Director Michael Haneke, who won the prestigious Palme d'Or Award at the 2012 Cannes Film Festival, refused to go to Vietnam to attend the Hanoi International Film Festival because he could not travel by air.



Director Michael Haneke works with two actors in "Amour".


Dr. Ngo Phuong Lan, chief organizer of the Hanoi International Film Festival, told correspondents on October 11 that the organizing committee had contact with many famous Asian film makers such as Johnnie To, Hou Hsiao-Hsien and Tsai Ming-liang but all of them would be unable to attend the festival, scheduled in November, because their working schedule is full.

Dr. Lan also said that German director Michael Haneke, who won the Palme d'Or Award for “Amour” (2012) and “The White Ribbon” (2010), also refused the invitation because he cannot travel by air. However, his works will be screened in the Paranoma category.

Before the premiere of "We Need to Talk About Kevin," the best British film in 2011 and a nominee for the Palme d'Or, Dr. Ngo Phuong Lan disclosed that the main actress of the movie, Tilda Swinton, who won the Oscar Award  2008 for the Best Supporting Actress (film Michael Clayton) may be attending the festival.



Cliff Curtis (right) and Eddie Murphy in the movie released
in 2012, "A Thousand Words".


Also on October 11, the decision to set up the jury for feature film category of the 2nd Hanoi International Film Festival was announced. The jury chair will be German film director Jan Schuette, Director of the Berlin Cinema School.

Hollywood actor Cliff Curtis who played in the movie “Live Free or Die Hard”, “The Fountain”, “Training Day” and “The Piano”, which won three Oscar Awards in 1994, will be one of the five judges, besides Iranian actor Taraneh Alidoosti, Indonesian director Garin Nugroho Riyanto and Vietnamese People's Artist Nhu Quynh.

The 2nd Hanoi International Film Festival will take place from November 25 to 29.

Hoang Vy