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...
Saigoneer's September Art Picks
After the city's gallery scene took a summer hiatus, Saigoneer is back with our art picks for the month. September was off to a good start with a variety of exhibitions, employing everything from urba...
New Edition Of Standpoint Theories Will Hit Saigon This Month
Multi-disciplinary production company Standpoint Theories returns to Saigon with three performances of Legends of Vietnam: Remix, an evolution of last year's Legends of Vietnam. The new and improved p...
Thai Binh Businessman Builds Made-in-Vietnam Mini Submarine
We all have our hobbies: for some it's tennis, for others it's golf, and for one guy in northern Thai Binh province, it's building military-grade submarines.
October Movies At Saigon’s Alternative Film Venues
It is not Halloween without a dose of horror. Check out which spooky films made the list this year at Saigon's alternative movie-viewing venues. If zombies, ghosts and paranormal activity are not your...
New Victor Vu Film Wins at International Festival
Last week, Vietnamese film Tôi Thấy Hoa Vàng Trên Cỏ Xanh (Yellow Flowers on the Green Grass) took home the Feature Films of 2015 award at China's Silk Road International Film Festival, held in Fujian...
Zelda Goes To The Gallery: Khói Sóng
Khói Sóng, Ha Manh Thang’s new exhibition and his second at Galerie Quynh, is part of the artist's ongoing Vietnam Landscapes (2010 – present) project, in which his reflections on Vietnamese...
[Video] Whoever Made This Drone Video of Vietnam's Floods Has a Sense of Humor
Last week, when we all had floodwater up to our kneecaps and half of Saigon was stuck in rush hour traffic, someone was having a good time in northern Vietnam with a drone camera.
The Story of the Greatest Female Pirate Retold via Cinemagraph
When it comes to brave, daring women, Asia has no shortage of badass heroines. In Vietnam alone, historical figures like Vo Thi Sau and the Trung sisters are hailed for their courage and str...
Zelda Goes To The Gallery: Urbana
When I arrived at deciBel Lounge last week, ready to meet two of the three artists behind photography project Urbana: City View, I was dreading what I would see. Too often, urban-themed artwork turns ...
[Photos] How The Other Half Lives: District 2's Makeshift Village
When you think of District 2, the first thing that comes to mind is massive villas and high-end developments, fancy western-style supermarkets and upscale restaurants. But while Thao Dien may be a hub...
Metiseko: How One Local Designer Created An Eco-Friendly Brand
When it comes to fashion, sustainability is not always a high priority in Vietnam. These days, Vietnam is beginning to see more campaigns which aim to raise public awareness around environmental issue...
Six-Minute Film Depicts Enchanting Landscapes Of Southeast Asia
Soren Nielsen and Victoria Rivera's six-minute film opens with a question: “When did we stop walking if it's what makes us human in the first place?”
Vietnam Considers Allowing 5 Second Sex Scenes in Movies
Next time you catch a movie at your local theater, keep an eye out for the film's rating on the screen. As of early 2016, you may find that things have changed.
[Video] What Happens When Vietnam Sees Domestic Violence In Public
In Vietnam, it's not unusual to stop and stare when something is out of the ordinary. But while some incidents are fairly tame – think wedding photos or street performers – there are also times when t...
King Kong Prequel to Be Filmed in Vietnam
The director of Hollywood's King Kong prequel, Kong: Skull Island, has arrived in Vietnam and is scouting possible locations for the blockbuster-to-be.
[Photos] Vietnam's Mooncake Masters
Mooncakes are probably the most sophisticated of Vietnamese pastries. Round, square or animal-shaped, these dense mid-autumn festival treats are always marked with a golden crust and intricate pattern...
Artist Spotlight: Saigon's DAOS501
Saigon-based graffiti artist DAOS501's visceral, introspective artwork explores the animalistic side of humanity in his first solo exhibition, now on display through September 30 at 3A Station's ...
Zelda Goes To The Gallery: A Material History Of Man And Animal
Cave paintings, the Latin poet Lucretius, the slavery of consumerism and, more prominently, the evolution between mankind and nature are some of the ingredients effortlessly intertwined in the rivetin...
Emotional Short Film Depicts LGBT Life In Rural Vietnam
Vietnamese film seems to be growing by leaps and bounds these days. Whether it's gracing the festival circuit or taking home prestigious awards, the country's film industry is blossoming not only...
[Photos] Lives of Asian Immigrants Captured Through Lens of Vietnamese-American Photographer
In Vietnam, like many countries around the world, the United States earns a reputation as the land of opportunity. The cities are modern, jobs are plentiful, the country is home to scores of world-cla...
