Paul Christiansen

in Culture

If Every Province in Vietnam Has a Mascot, What Would Your Hometown's Be?

Do you know Bé Sen?

in Music & Arts

Reframing War Memories via the Western-Vietnamese Photographic Perspectives

War photographs, often viewed as windows into the past tragedies, are believed to offer an immediate representation of reality. But what lies beyond the frame? What purpose did these images serve, and who were they meant for?

Khôi Phạm

in Music & Arts

For the Love of Boney M: How a West German Disco Quartet Charmed Vietnam

“You’re gonna make me cry. That’s awesome,” Liz Mitchell exclaimed. Overwhelmed with disbelief, she covered her face and then clutched her black satin dress tightly. It was a rare moment of uplifting musical goodness when the past and the present of Vietnam’s music scene collided.

in Culture

In the Latest Issue of 'No One Magazine,' 15 Stories From Vietnam's Queer Communities

No One Magazine, a print publication about underground queer nightlife around the world, is focusing on Vietnam for its second issue with corresponding launch events in Hanoi and Saigon. 

in Music & Arts

Tranh Kiếng, Southern Vietnam's Glass Painting, Is at Risk of Disappearing

I’ve always loved marveling at the colorful tranh kiếng hung in our altar room whenever I get a chance to visit my mother’s hometown. Since I was little, the paintings have been an indispensable part of my grandparents’ homestead. Tranh kiếng is present everywhere in people’s houses in the town, but I’ve never thought to ask who created unique art pieces that perfectly encapsulate the soul of the southern community.

Paul Christiansen

in Loạt Soạt

Sao La, Self, Hmong Identity: The Many Layers of Poetry Collection 'Primordial'

A book of poetry all about sao la?

in Music & Arts

In Huế, ‘Allusive Panorama’ Exhibition Reveals a Tender Side of Hàm Nghi Through His Art

An exhibition offering a rare glimpse into the artistic life of Hàm Nghi, Vietnam's exiled emperor who dedicated his life to art, with brushstrokes and landscapes reflecting his deep longing towards a distant homeland that he could never return to.

Back Arts & Culture

in Culture

[Photos] Photographer Captures the Last of Mongolia's Eagle Hunters

Ever since he saw a photo of Mongolian eagle hunters at 17, Palani Mohan had dreamed of documenting their story.

in Music & Arts

Vietnamese Comic Book Takes Prize at International MANGA Awards

Vietnamese comic book duo Phong Duong will take home a Silver Award at Japan's International MANGA Awards for the first volume of their series Long Than Tuong.

in Film & TV

'Skull Island' Begins Filming in Ninh Binh, 'Fast & Furious 8' May Be Next

If you're a Hollywood filmmaker, it appears Ninh Binh is the place to be these days.

in Culture

How Game Theory Explains Vietnam's Lack of Queues

You'll be hard-pressed to find a straight, orderly line in Vietnam. Sure, there are some rare places – the bank or perhaps the immigration counter at the airport – where you might find people queuing ...

in Film & TV

How Vietnamese Cinema Is Riding the Crest of the Korean Wave

2015 was quite a year for Vietnamese cinema. Take, for instance, Yellow Flowers on the Green Grass, the film adaptation of celebrated novelist Nguyen Nhat Anh's coming-of-age story: whether it was scr...

in Arts & Culture

Local LGBTQ Zine Launches Crowdfunding Campaign, Call for Submissions

Vănguard, Saigon’s first-ever queer zine, is calling upon LGBTQ Vietnamese artists to submit new work for its third edition, to be released later this year.

in Culture

Middle-Aged Japanese Man Dressed as Schoolgirl Visits Vietnam

We can all relate: you get home after a long day at the office, exhausted and ready to get out of your business casual. But when it comes to the standard after-work ensemble, Japanese cosplay photogra...

in Film & TV

Saigoneer’s Picks: 20 Best Films From the Year of the Goat

Life Itself, a film about the life of the late film critic Roger Ebert opens with one of his quotes: “We are born with a certain package. We are who we are [...], we are kind of stuck inside that pers...

Brian Letwin

in Culture

[Photos] Preview: Nguyen Hue Flower Street

Saigon’s celebrated flower street returns to Nguyen Hue Boulevard next week to ring in the Year of the Monkey.

in Film & TV

February Movies at Saigon’s Alternative Film Venues

This year's controversial awards season is drawing to an end. With the BAFTAs and the Oscars still to come, Saigon's February program includes two long-awaited biopics, one of the most revolutionary a...

in Culture

Vietnam's Hottest Tet Gift: Lucky Buddha Pears

Forget hoverboards and lightsabers: Vietnam's hottest gift this holiday season is the nature-defying Buddha-shaped pear.

in Music & Arts

Saigoneer’s December and January Art Picks

Between Christmas and Tet, everything slows down in Saigon's art world, but a few venues have still found time to put on new shows. Here is some of our favorite work from the holiday season's exhibiti...

Dana Filek-Gibson

in Film & TV

City of Mirrors: A Local Filmmaker's Crowdfunding Quest

For his first-ever feature film, Truong Minh Quy spent two months waiting around for it to rain.

in Culture

[Video] There Is Now a Vietnamese Cover of 'Hotline Bling'

Oh, YouTube. You have brought us such joy: from turtle sex to the “apparently” kid, countless bad lip readings to one Antoine Dodson, the entertainment never ends. And now, through the power...

in Arts & Culture

Cambodia's Stunning Angkor Panorama Museum...Built by North Koreans

Last month, Cambodia opened the doors to a brand-new Angkorian attraction.

in Music & Arts

Morrissey May Play Saigon in April

Good news for everyone with a love of 1980s British indie music: Morrissey is coming to town.

in Film & TV

Vietnamese Actress Makes Hollywood Debut in 'Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon' Sequel

Vietnamese actress Ngo Thanh Van, star of several local blockbusters including Dong Mau Anh Hung, Clash and the forthcoming film Sieu Trom, will be making her Hollywood debut next month.

in Literature

[Photos] Saigon Just Got a Fancy New Pedestrian Book Street

While Saigon faces a major deficit when it comes to public space, it looks like the city has recognized its value following the success of Nguyen Hue's pedestrian boulevard.

in Music & Arts

Japanese Artist 3D Prints 'International' Homes for Hermit Crabs

In 2009, Japanese artist Aki Inomata began creating clear, plastic hermit crab shells with the help of 3D printing. Inspired by different cities around the world, the artist brought her creations to l...

in Film & TV

[Video] Filmmaker Merges Vietnam Footage With Poetry

There are an abundance of beautiful travel videos on the internet, many of them as visually stunning as the next. But whether you're touring Myanmar, watching Vietnam from above or getting l...