Dispatch From Udine: Vietnam's Cinema Reaches the World Stage While Rooted in Local Culture
Vietnamese cinema experienced a watershed moment at the 28th Far East Film Festival in Udine, Italy.
Short Story Collection 'Gills' Pieces Together a Raw and Complex Portrait of Saigon
Saigon’s landscape looks dramatically different from how it did three or even two decades ago. As the country’s economic powerhouse, Saigon has seen rapid urban development: new highrises like Landmark 81 and the Bitexco Financial Tower that now define the city’s skyline, new urban infrastructure like the Ba Son Bridge and Saigon’s first metro line, as well as the city’s expansion into areas like District 7’s Phú Mỹ Hưng and District 2’s Thủ Thiêm. If the west has long viewed Saigon under the shadow of war, it is clear that such a rigid frame fails to contain the Saigon of today, whose entropic inner life seems to constantly overflow; with motorbikes onto sidewalks, loud honks through windows, and rainpour over Saigon’s riverbeds.
Paul Christiansen in Culture
Whale Worship: Exploring the Role of Whales in Vietnam's Coastal Lore
In 1799, the ferocious Tây Sơn army forced the first Nguyễn Emperor, Nguyễn Ánh, and his troops to flee to the sea. While making their escape, a great storm engulfed the retreating army. As their ship’s mast shivered and the hull shuddered, threatening to break it into splinters, a great whale rose from the depths. It lifted the emperor's boat and carried him and his men to safety. To thank the animal, Ánh bestowed upon whales the official title of "Nam Hải Cự Tộc Ngọc Lân Thượng Đẳng Thần," which was shortened to Cá Ông, or “Lord Fish.”
A Special 'Doraemon' Episode Taking Place in Vietnam Will Be Released in May
After decades of watching Doraemon and his close friend groups adventure to all sorts of strange lands from the deepest trenches on Earth to fantastical planets, fans of the beloved cat robot in Vietnam will finally see our country in the cartoon series.
Paul Christiansen in In Plain Sight
An Ode to Saigon’s Chò Nâu Trees
It’s too cold for chò nâu to grow where I’m from, but we still gave it an English name: dipterocarp.
Mầm in Music & Arts
Vietnamese Painter Một Quả Tắc Creates an Intimate and Gentle World on Silk
Silk is an inherently finicky, demanding medium. Yet from the very first encounter, Quế Hương had chose to embrace its temperament and has devoted herself to it for nearly a decade.
Mầm in Ton-sur-Ton
Into the Earthy, Quirky World of Kramahan's Accessories and Clothing
We paid Nhật, the founder of Kramahan.Clothing , a visit on a windy day in Saigon. This room in the heart of the city has ...
ACV Proposes Moving 90% of Saigon's Overseas Flights to Long Thành
The Airports Corporation of Vietnam (ACV) has proposed plans to transfer flight operations in Hồ Chí Minh City from Tân Sơ...
[Video] Vingroup Premieres First-Ever Animated Series by In-House Studio VinTaTa
Have you ever wondered what a Vingroup-funded animated series would look like?
Sixty Square: Crumbling Colonial Buildings House Hanoi’s Hippest New Art Quarter
Ever since the closure of Zone 9, Hanoi’s young artists have been longing for a new spot to rise from the ashes and fill the hole the defunct art hub left in the capital's creative landscape. Creative...
[Photos] In Minimalist Street Photography, Good Frames Come to Those Who Wait
Photographer Victor Morante is all about the little details in a frame.
Hanoi Queer Film Week Provides Platform for Vietnam's LGBTQ Voices
Starting today and running until Friday, August 17, Hanoi International Queer Film Week 2018 (HIQFW), will include 14 film screenings followed by audience discussions.
Saigoneer Podcast: Seafood Fight, Traditional Medicine and L'Arrange Rhum
We're a quarter of the way to 100 episodes!
[Illustrations] Minimalist Pastel Renditions of Hanoi’s Historic Landmarks
Local illustrator Nguyen Minh Trang brings calming colors and geometric aesthetics to some of the capital’s most striking architecture.
Michael Tatarski in Music & Arts
[Video] Saigon-Based Directors Feature Abandoned Hue Waterpark in New Music Video
A small boat reaches shore and an adventure begins at the wild, abandoned Ho Thuy Tien Waterpark outside of Hue.
Ahead of Its Premiere Next Week, 'The Bachelor Vietnam' Reveals the Bachelor in New Trailer
The Vietnam adaptation of American reality TV show The Bachelor will premiere this month.
Vietnam's Cinema Industry to Receive $50m Financial Boost
Lack of funding has always been an issue for Vietnam's film industry.
Saigoneer Podcast: Exercise in Vietnam, Street Cred and Hanoi Zine Library
Episode 24 is out now!
[Video] Suboi Makes Saigon Nightscapes Her Playground in Latest Music Video for 'N-Sao?'
Saigon's color-streaked nighttime streets serve as background for the hip-hop star's latest music video.
[Illustrations] Hanoi Typography Project Turns Classic Food and Drink Names into Vibrant Designs
When paired with artistic creativity, common food and drink names can become symbols of cultural re-imagination. The following illustrations successfully capture the past while also appearing youthful...
Kit Humphrey in Literature
Alain de Botton Visits Vietnam: 'What I Want to Argue Is That Romanticism Has Been a Disaster for Love.'
It’s not often that a philosopher of Alain de Botton’s status visits Vietnam, so it was no surprise that all 50 seats on the upper floor of Toong Coworking Space were occupied, with most tickets snapp...
Vans x Van Gogh Museum Collection Will Also Be Available in Vietnam
Some of Dutch painter Vincent Van Gogh’s most iconic works have been turned into everyday apparel.
[Video] Korean Filmmaker Creates Charming Video Postcard of Hanoi
This short video of Hanoi is vicarious tourism at its finest.
[Photos] Malaysian Artist Encapsulates the Timeless Charm of Asia's Mom-and-Pop Shops in Mini-Models
“There are many ways to help you keep something in mind, through a memo, a voice recorder, or a photo. But miniature is something you can touch and see, to recall your memories.”
[Photos] A Converse-Royal Costume Mashup for Vietnam's History Buffs and Sneakerheads
‘Tis the time for wearable history.
Saigoneer Podcast: Decadent Vietnamese Dishes and Marriage in Modern Vietnam
The latest Saigoneer Podcast episode is ready for your listening pleasure!
Paul Christiansen in Literature
Indigenous Species: Poetry Book Connects Vietnam and Indonesia
Massive fish die-offs, sewage-smothered lakes, natural parks gashed by cable cars, soot-sullied skies and overflowing landfills — when considering environmental issues, it is easy to view them fr...
[Video] Dreamy Slow-Motion Clip Depicts Hanoians Embracing Life on a Rainy Day
Of the countless video montages shot in Vietnam, how many of them are worth a click? This dreamy, slow-motion clip of daily activities near Hoan Kiem Lake certainly is.
