Viet Nam News
OTTAWA — During the first Vietnamese Culture Week held in Canada between September 11 and 17, a Day of Vietnamese Films was held in Ottawa and Montreal.
Addressing the opening of the day in Ottawa, Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Nguyen Ngoc Thien confirmed that in the past ten years, Vietnamese cinema scored huge advancements in both quality and quantity of movies, which had been welcomed by domestic audiences.
“In addition to films featuring contemporary life, love and desire, many films reflect the history and cultural traditions of the country,” he said.
In cinema, the minister said the two countries had kicked off some measures to promote co-operation.
“Viet Nam has attended the Toronto International Film Festival since 1993 and the ASEAN Film Festival in 2017 in Ottawa,” he said.
Cinema experts from Canada also joined the jury for the Ha Noi International Film Festival in 2010.
At the Ha Noi International Film Festival in 2016, the film Remember by Canadian director Atom Egoyan won the Best Feature Film while Canadian actor Christopher Plummer won the Best Actor prize for the same film.
During the two-day Vietnamese Film Day in Ottawa and Montreal, the organisers introduced two movies titled My Nhan (The Beauty) by director Dinh Thai Thuy and Co Ba Sai Gon (The Tailor) directed by Tran Buu Loc and Kay Nguyen.
“My Nhan is a historic film while Co Ba Sai Gon is a modern one,” said Ngo Phuong Lan, director of the Cinema Department, under the culture ministry, “Both express Vietnamese cultural identity. My Nhan is a historical story about the royal palace in the 17th century. Meanwhile, Co Ba Sai Gon celebrates the position of ao dai [traditional long dress] in contemporary society.”
Micheal Hung, a Vietnamese citizen living in Toronto could not hide his joy at the development of domestic cinema.
“The two films not only remind audiences of Viet Nam but also help praise historical and cultural values of a country in another country, where cultural diversity and identity are highly respected like Canada,” he said.
The Viet Nam Culture Week opened at Canada’s Museum of History in Ottawa on September 11, which aims to celebrate the 73rd anniversary of Viet Nam’s National Day and 45th anniversary of diplomatic ties between the two countries.
The week features various art shows, cuisine and exhibitions on Viet Nam. — VNS