Wednesday, October 20, 2010

Venezuela Culture Week begins at National Library

HA NOI — The Venezuelan Culture Week has opened at the National Library in Ha Noi to celebrate the country's independence and Ha Noi's millennium.

The six-day exhibition, co-organised by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Venezuelan Embassy, will feature traditional Latin American dance.

An exhibition of 30 photos by Rafael Salvatore as well as Venezuelan handicrafts is also being held at the National Library.

The Venezuelan Ministry of Culture for Human Development introduces a book entitled La Cita de la Historia on General Vo Nguyen Giap.

A number of diverse activities will be held during the culture week, including a seminar to mark the 200th anniversary of Venezuela's independence and documents on the ‘Bolivariana Revolution'.

There will also have a seminar on traditional dances and performances by folk art troupes from Venezuela's National Dance Company.

The culture week is organised to celebrate 21 years of diplomatic ties between the two countries.

Vietnamese cultural festival opens in Russia

MOSCOW — A Vietnamese cultural festival has opened in the Russian city of Tula to mark the 60th anniversary of Vietnamese-Russian diplomatic relations and the 1,000th anniversary of Ha Noi.

The event is organised by Vietnamese students at the International faculty from Tula State L.N Tolstoy Pedagogical University.

According to the Voice of Russia, the festival presents Viet Nam as a friendly country through music, a fashion show of traditional costumes, an exhibition of cultural artifacts and the lives of Vietnamese ethnic groups, the multimedia show Viet Nam-My Love, a photography exhibition of Viet Nam's countryside and its people and special Vietnamese cuisine.

Valiant artist depicts Heroic Mothers

HCM CITY — Dang Ai Viet has embarked on a mission that is difficult to accomplish, but her portraits of Heroic Mothers have already drawn widespread acclaim.

The 62-year-old artist, who has separated her historic journey into three phases, beginning in February this year, recently stopped in HCM City to draw portraits of 186 Heroic Mothers who live in the city's 23 districts.

She has completed sketches of 44 mothers so far. — VNS

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City events celebrate Women's Union's 80th

HCM CITY — A variety of cultural programmes kick off today in HCM City to celebrate the 80th anniversary of the founding of the Viet Nam Women's Union (October 20).

A photo exhibition opened at the city's Women Cultural House yesterday, featuring the latest collections of female artists from Hai Au Club, a leading photography club for women.

The show includes black-and-white and colour photos that portray the beauty of Ha Noi and its people through the eyes of skilled photographers like Dao Hoa Nu.

Seminars and forums that highlight the work and success of Vietnamese women in modern life are also included.

Dozens of specialists in health care, beauty and marriage and family problems were invited to talk with the events' participants.

Dam Sen Park worked with its partners, including the city's Women Association and Youth Union, to host a festival called Rose Festival Day offering various music and dance programmes, traditional games and sport competitions for women and their family.

Veteran and young performers will sing and dance in praise of women.

Local authorities have visited and presented gifts to mother heroes' families who participated in the country's fight for independence.

Women with high achievements in business and art were also honoured.

In Ha Noi, flower sellers expect to increase sales as this is a popular time of the year for people to show their love to women.

Prices, however, have gone up as much VND20,000 (US$1) for one rose, seven times higher than usual.

Gift shops around the city are filled with cards, perfumes, cosmetics and compact discs, with prices about 10 per cent more than usual.

This year, the Phu Nhuan Jewellery Company is offering more than 30 different kinds of jewellery designed under a "female" theme. Prices range from VND50,000 to more than VND1 million per item.

Supermarkets like Co-op Mart and Big C have also offered special promotions to satisfy the demand of the market this day.

Many primary and secondary schools across the country have also prepared special activities to celebrate the event. — VNS

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Tuesday, October 19, 2010

Japanese features, anime to screen

Toon time: The Girl Who Leapt Through Time, one of two animation movies to be shown at the festival. — Photo courtesy Tokikake Film Partners

Toon time: The Girl Who Leapt Through Time, one of two animation movies to be shown at the festival. — Photo courtesy Tokikake Film Partners

HA NOI — Japanese director Nobuhiro Doi's latest film Hanamizuki is one of ten films scheduled to show in competition at the first Viet Nam International Film Festival, which runs until Thursday in Ha Noi.

Hanamizuki is a romantic drama which tells the story of high school student Sae Hirasawa, played by Yui Aragaki, who lives a simple life with her mother in a peaceful northern fishing town but dreams of a life overseas.

She meets two special men in her life. One is another high school boy who she falls in love with. They encourage each other to pursue their dreams, even as their dreams pull them apart. The other man is an upperclassman who shares her same dreams.

Doi, with the support of the Japan Foundation Centre for Cultural Exchange, will arrive today to attend the festival and conduct question and answer sessions about the film.

Born April 11, 1964 in Hiroshima Prefecture, Doi began as director for the hit TBS television series Good Luck!! in 2003 and Orange Days in 2004 until striking it big with the US$48 million box office hit Be With You the same year, his directorial film debut.

Hanamizuki was released in Japan in August and is his third feature film.
My Darling Is a Foreigner, the directorial debut by Kazuaki Ue, will also compete for the festival's top prize.

Eatrip by Yuri Nomura, and Mental by Kazuhiro Soda will compete in the documentary and short film categories, respectively. Mental won the Best Documentary Award at the Pusan International Film Festival and the Dubai International Film Festival in 2008.

Japanese animation will also make a showing at the festival with Summer Wars (2009) and The Girl Who Leapt Through Time (2006), both directed by Mamoru Hosoda. Both films have received numerous awards not only in Japan but throughout the world, including the Best Animation Award at the Japan Academy Awards in 2007 (The Girl Who Leapt Through Time) and in 2010 (Summer Wars).

Please see the What's On section on page 27 for the festival calendar. — VNS

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Winners crowned in supermodel contest

Floribunda: Pham Thi Ngoc Thach (left) and Truong Ngoc Tinh win the Supermodel competition at Nguyen Du Gymnasium in HCM City on Saturday. — VNA/VNS Photo Vo Ly Phu Hung

Floribunda: Pham Thi Ngoc Thach (left) and Truong Ngoc Tinh win the Supermodel competition at Nguyen Du Gymnasium in HCM City on Saturday. — VNA/VNS Photo Vo Ly Phu Hung

HCM CITY — Pham Thi Ngoc Thach and Truong Ngoc Tinh swept the honours at the annual Super Model Contest held in HCM City on Saturday, winning over both the jury and public.

Thach, 19, an established model from the Cuu Long (Mekong) Delta province of Hau Giang, was one of 10 finalists last year before organisers concluded she was underage.

"So this year I made the best preparations [possible] for all rounds," she said.

Tinh, the male winner, remained under the radar in the early rounds before suddenly bursting through to grab the crown.

He is a student at the HCM City Movie and Theatre College.

Thach and Tinh were voted the Favourite Fashion Model by the public.

The second prize in the contest was won in the men's and women's sections by Pham Thi Thuy Linh and Hoang Gia Ngoc, and the third prizes by Pham Anh Thu and Le Khoi Nguyen.

Twenty men and women finalists each appeared on the catwalk for ao dai, swimsuit, and evening dress rounds.

They also had to face a talent and quiz rounds.

The event, produced by HCM City Television and Cat Tien Sa Company, is organised by Thoi Trang Tre (New Fashion) magazine.

This year it attracted thousands of amateur and professional models between the ages of 18 to 25 who took part in elimination rounds in Ha Noi and HCM City last August. — VNS

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Noyce, Wu and Cheung to heat up film festival in Vietnam

(From L to R) Angelina Jolie, Chiwetel Ejiofor and Phillip Noyce at event of Salt - Photo: Reuters
Australian director Phillip Noyce, known for The Quiet American and Salt movies, and Hong Kong movies stars Daniel Wu and Nick Cheung are seen adding glamour to the first Vietnam International Film Festival set for October 17-21 in Hanoi.

Noyce will serve as lead judge in the film festival and during his forthcoming Vietnam visit at the invitation of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, he will spend some days in Hanoi and HCMC training local film directors and producers.

The two Hong Kong stars Daniel Wu and Nick Cheung will attend the introductions of their new films Triple Tap and Stool Pigeon, which will be screened on Monday and Tuesday at the new Platinum Cineplex in Hanoi. The two will also meet film lovers at the Hanoi Opera House square.

Triple Tap and Stool Pigeon will be screened for the World Cinema On Monday category of the festival.

The festival will draw 68 movies from 23 countries and territories and they will be classified into categories Feature, Documentary/Short film, Documentary, Short Animation Film, World Cinema On Monday, and Country in Focus introducing French movies.

In addition to the awards for the above categories, the organizing committee will present NETPAC (Network for the Promotion of Asian Cinema) award.

All the movies will be shown in Hanoi with ticket prices ranging from VND10,000 to VND40,000 at Megastar Vincom City Tower, 191 Ba Trieu Street, Hai Ba Trung District; Platinum Cineplex, The Garden, My Dinh; and Vietnam National Convention Center, 57 Pham Hung Boulevard.

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Huong picked to compete at Miss Earth

Miss Vietnam World 2010 Luu Thi Diem Huong in the moment of triumph at Vinpearl Land Nha Trang on August 21 - Photo: Quoc Huy
The organizing committee of the Miss Earth 2010 pageant announced on Saturday Miss Vietnam World 2010 Luu Thi Diem Huong had been chosen to represent Vietnam at the forthcoming Miss Earth 2010 competition.

The event will take place at Vinpearl Land Nha Trang on Hon Tre Island, around three kilometers off the coast of Nha Trang City, from November 4 to December 4, reports Tuoi Tre newspaper.

The 20-year-old is 171 centimeters tall and her vital statistics are 84-61-92.

Huong appeared on Saturday morning together with Miss Earth 2009 Larissa Ramos, Miss Earth 2008 Karla Henry and Miss Earth Philippines 2010 Psyche Resus to brief the press on upcoming events.

Two-day talks on the environment and environmental protection activities in Phan Thiet began on Sunday. The other events will take place in Nha Trang on October 18 and 19, Phu Yen on October 20 and 21, and HCMC on October 22.

Miss Earth 2010, the tenth edition of the pageant, is being organized by Thanh Nien newspaper, Thanh Nien Media Corp. and Carousel Production Inc. Around 90 contestants are expected to come to Vietnam for the competition.

Vietnam will be hosting the pageant in even years between 2010 and 2020.

The contest comes with the theme “Beauties For a Cause”, which means not just admiring beauty but raising awareness of environmental protection as well.

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Two win Vietnam Supermodel 2010

Pham Thi Ngoc Thach (L) and Truong Ngoc Tinh pose with the golden cups as they win the Vietnam Supermodel 2010 - Photo: Ly Vo Phu Hung
Pham Thi Ngoc Thach and Truong Ngoc Tinh defeated 40 other contestants at the final round of the Vietnam Supermodel 2010 pageant on Sunday, reports VietnamPlus.

Silver prizes went to Phan Thi Thuy Linh and Hoang Gia Ngoc while Pham Anh Thu and Le Nguyen Khoi gained bronzes.

The 12 most outstanding faces were selected for the Q & A session and conversation with MCs and audiences and the results were combined with those in the previous rounds, such as outdoor or in-studio postures, bikini performances and talent demonstrations to decide the winners of the contest.

In the Vietnam Supermodel 2009 competition last year, Pham Thi Ngoc Thach, a 19-year-old resident of the Mekong Delta province of Hau Giang, was in the top 10 but she was forced to leave the competition due to underage.

This year, she demonstrated spectacular performances after hoarding much experience and success on local catwalks.

Truong Ngoc Tinh, seen as not far more remarkable than other male candidates such as Truong Nam Thanh, Nguyen Van Kien and Hoang Ngoc Gia, put a strong impression on the jury and audiences in the final round.

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