Paul Christiansen in Rewind
In 'Cú Và Chim Se Sẻ,' a Director's Radical Empathy for Saigon's Less Fortunate
“They can do what they want. The city owns the zoo. They could sell all the animals here. They could turn it into a golf course. We’re just little people — you and me.”
In 'No Man River,' Dương Hướng Highlights the Raw Pain of Postwar Survival
Dương Hướng’s No Man River (Bến không chồng) was first published in 1991 and won the Vietnam Writers' Association Prize for Fiction. Translated into English by Quan Manh Ha and Charles Waugh, it captures the brutal reality of conflict in Vietnam from 1945 to 1979.
Nguyễn Đức Tín Weaves Spirituality, Faith, Everyday Life Altogether in His Paintings
Can a painting reflect who we are, even if we can’t see ourselves thoroughly? And how does faith guide us forward in life?
Liên Bỉnh Phát Makes History as 1st Vietnamese to Win Best Male Lead in Taiwan
Vietnamese actor Liên Bỉnh Phát recently made history at one of Taiwan’s most prestigious national award ceremonies.
An Ode to Vũng Tàu, Saigon's Unwavering Summer Crush
I recently took a trip to Vũng Tàu after a long summer of cultural research, which had me traveling up and down Vietnam. It had been seven years since I’d been back to the homeland, and 19 since I’d last seen the beaches of Vũng Tàu, when I was only 16. It felt like returning to a high school crush, and it made me think of the words of Trần Thiện Thanh, who once wrote, “Nhớ lúc xa xưa mười sáu trăng tròn…” I won’t say I wasn’t looking for something familiar, poetic, and possibly even as sappy.
Paul Christiansen in Literature
5 Books by Vietnamese Authors Centered on Strong Female Protagonists
Literature, more than any other art form, allows people an intimate vantage point from which to witness the experiences, emotions, and thoughts of individuals drastically different from themselves. Books thus hold the unparalleled power to inspire, foster empathy, and expand one’s understanding of the human condition.
Women in Post-Đổi Mới Vietnamese Cinema: From Archetypal to Multifaceted
In Vietnamese cinema, the female figure has long been employed to deliver macro-level messages rather than just mundane narratives.
Khôi Phạm in Music & Arts
The Multiverse Behind the 1990s Classic 'Người Tình Mùa Đông' by Như Quỳnh
There is a certain timelessness to the song ‘Người Tình Mùa Đông’ by Như Quỳnh, especially in the visuals of its very first performance. For generations of Vietnamese listeners, ‘Người Tình Mùa Đông’ is an icon in the hall of fame of Vietnamese music, but as I have come to discover, the melody that Vietnamese know as ‘Người Tình Mùa Đông’ has lived a life much richer and more transcendent than it might appear.
Video: Vietnamese News 'Presenters' Rap the News
In a bid to reach a younger audience, Vietnam Plus, a sister station of the Vietnam News Agency, has employed the services of local rappers to rap the news.
In the Spotlight: A O Show
A O show, currently being performed at the Saigon Opera House, might be the first accomplished Vietnamese “cirque” that proves that tradition and modernisation can coexist harmoniously. Or as director...
Canvas & Wine: Paint Like Van Gogh
From the organizers: D2 Get back to the 19th century and feel like Vincent Van Gogh! Van Gogh was a pioneer in the art of painting. His use of color, creative portraits and above all, his letters mad...
Watch Your Step! Saigon’s Amazing Concrete Tiles.
Expressions like, "walk with your head held high" or "look forward" don’t always work, at least if you are in Saigon - to look to the floor can sometimes reveal hidden gems.
A Day at Dam Sen Waterpark
I hit Dam Sen Waterpark on a scorcher, one of those days when the colour of the morning sky is as deep and synthetic as a blueberry Slurpee.
Academics’ Qualifications not Worth the Paper They're Written on?
With yet another case of plagiarism amongst high ranking Vietnamese academics hitting the headlines, this time the tables are turned as the accused strikes back at his accusers.
Super Blop!! A Culture Cook-Off and Art Party
Programme and description as written by the organisers: * 2-4pm: cooking contest (Cuộc thi nấu ăn) Chef line-up: Xem, Bông, mì ăn liền, X★?, Space Panther, v.i.v.i.d, Green Youth Collective
From Saigon, Rap with Spanish Flavour
Half Spanish, half Scottish rapper, Pain comes back with what is now his 5th mixtape (free to download), created and released in Saigon, where he is based now.
Vietnamese Man Creates Working Replica of Batman's Batpod
Meet Vu Tang Lam, an obsessive Batman fan. And what do you get when you mix Batman with Vietnam? A replica of the batpod, of course! Lam spent nearly 2 years creating his version of the famous batpod...
Art Video International Film Festival (AVIFF)
From the organiser: Calling all Video artists! AVIFF invites you to a presentation and video show case at Saigon Outcast on Wednesday 6th of November. A fun, easy going, networking event for vi...
Interview: A Talk with Conceptual Artist Emilie Moutsis Von
Poe, Hawthorne, Washington Irving and Sartre are among the authors that French conceptual artist Emilie Moutsis Von has been working on, using the process of blacking-out parts of the text and combini...
Event Rewind: Zombie Walk Saigon
Last night hordes of zombies descended upon downtown as part of the annual Zombie Walk Saigon. Festivities begin at Red Bar where volunteer makeup artists added plenty of blood, open wounds and lacer...
Brian Letwin in Culture
Hoi An: From Backwater to Tourist Hot Spot
Popular travel magazine, Condé Nast Traveler, just released their rankings for the most popular cities in Asia based on feedback from their readers. The ancient town on Hoi An came in second, just beh...
Ha-Ha Brings Beautiful Graffiti to Saigon
For someone like me that was raised in the land of Banksy – London – in which the east part of the city is nothing less than a playground for graffiti artists, where street art is considered something...
In Vietnam, Cheating Will Cost You Dearly
In yet another effort to improve Vietnam’s education system, MOET, the government’s education and training ministry, has decided to impose a series of fines on those who engage in rule breaking behavi...
Zombie Walk Saigon Returns on Nov. 2
Saigoneer is proud to be a media partner of the upcoming Zombie Walk Saigon. In case you haven’t experienced it yourself, here’s the lowdown – people put on terrifying makeup, dress up and roam the st...
Video: Không Muốn Ăn Thịt Chó (Don't Want to Eat Dog)
"Studying another language is hard. Studying Vietnamese is ridiculous." Ăn Đu Đủ, aka Dave just launched his blog, Daily Davey where he plans to chronicle his life in Vietnam. For one of his first po...
'Other Knowledges' - 2nd 'Encounter'
‘Other Knowledges’ is the second lecture presented by San Art as part of their ‘Encounter’ programme, which aims at bringing thinkers from diverse backgrounds and disciplines to Saigon.
Green Drinks: Can Ethics & Profitable Manufacturing Co-Exist?
From the organizer: Join Green Drinks for a new experience at Bizu Cafe in The House of Saigon with a fresh Speaker this November. Rachael Carson will talk about the nuances of building a social ente...
Hundreds Take to the Streets to Support Same-Sex Marriage in Vietnam
As the Vietnamese National Assembly gears up to debate gay marriage next month, hundreds took to the streets of Hanoi yesterday to highlight the issue. Part of the “Toi Dong Y” (I agree) festival, the...
