DAC LAC — Residents in remote areas of the Central Highlands Province of Dac Lac are now able to watch films dubbed in ethnic minority languages thanks to the Government's initiatve and support, says a local official.
Nguyen Huu Tuyen, director of the Dac Lac Film Distribution and Cinema Centre, told the Viet Nam Cinematography magazine that cultural authorities have encouraged and supported his centre's activities.
"Without the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism's investment and new policies, our centre would find it difficult to distribute Vietnamese films in remote areas," he said.
People living in remote areas have more opportunities now to watch movies because of the domestic film industry's explosive growth in recent years, he added.
The centre's 15 mobile film-screening teams have travelled several times to remote districts like Krong Bong, Ea Suop, Ea Hleo and Buon Don and entertained local residents.
In 2010, Tuyen's centre earned VND1.2 billion from film screenings and related services.
About 55 films, including 30 homemade productions, were released with dubbing in ethnic minority languages, serving more than 130,000 people.
Several thousand CDs and DVDs featuring theatre, music and song programmes by famous artists were distributed free among the youth in remote areas, he said.
Two cinemas located in Buon Ma Thuot City, Hung Dao and Kim Dong, have also worked with local schools and army units to screen films and organise other cultural activities in the province.
The Cultural Show that airs every weekend on Dac Lac Radio and Television Station's channels is a highlight of the centre's work, Tuyen said, adding that it keeps viewers updated with latest cultural information and events in the province and the region.
Dac Lac Film Distribution and Cinema, the province's leading entertainment centre, has begun working on new film distribution projects as well as establishing closer links with the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism and local media.
The centre will continue expanding its screening programme to reach children and students in remote schools, Tuyen said.
"We are working with TV stations and film companies in Ha Noi and other provinces to produce TV productions focusing on topics relating to the Central Highlands provinces and people," he said.
A study by the Ministry found that six major cities like Ha Noi, HCM City, and Da Nang account for almost half of all cinemas in the country, while 13 provinces do not have a single theatre. — VNS