National film fest brings out the stars

Nam Dinh City is getting ready to unfurl the red carpet in preparation for the 15th National Film Festival.

Silver screen stunners: Ngo Thanh Van (left) and Johnny Tri Nguyen, stars of The Rebel, are expected to sashay down the red carpet in beautiful downtown Nam Dinh.

The four-day festival, to kick off next Wednesday, is set to be the biggest and most star-spangled cinema event since the 14th festival in 2004, attracting big names in the local industry like actors and actresses Hai Yen (in Pao's Story); Truong Ngoc Anh (the White Silk Dress); Johnny Tri Nguyen and Ngo Thanh Van (The Rebel).

The festival, slated to attract 500 attendees, aims to put Vietnam's renewed and integrated cinema under the spotlight so it will include some new features, according to head of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism's Cinema Department Lai Van Sinh.

The first touch up is separate awards for scientific films and documentaries. Secondly, viewer's choice for best film will be decided by attendees at the festival, with questionnaires handed out at two 450-seat cinemas in the city, Thang Tam Cinema and the Student Cinema Centre.

To top it off, this year is the first time film experts from Russia, South Korea, China, Laos, and Cambodia will be attending the event, as well as special guest Tadao Sato, chairman of Fukuoka International Film Festival in Japan. The veteran movie critic is expected to share his experiences in movie marketing at a seminar to during the festival.

By drawing in world-renowned names in the movie business, festival organisers are hoping Vietnamese filmmakers can start net-working internationally, according to the head of the foreign relations section in the Cinema Department, Do Duy Anh.

"We are inviting guests to take part in the festival so we can strengthen co-operative relations between the film industry in Vietnam and developed countries. It's also a good chance to introduce our country's movies to international audiences," he says.

Around 113 films of various media and genres are set for action, including celluloid feature films, video feature films, documentaries, scientific and animated films.

After the screenings, a committee of judges will select the best films for top prizes the Golden Lotus, Silver Lotus and Certificates of Merit.

Awards will also be handed out for best technicians and audience choice.

Twenty-five movies will compete for best picture, including seven private productions.

In preparation for the event, Nam Dinh Province has invested VND20bil in building supporting facilities like the new 450-seat Student Cinema Centre.

"We chose Nam Dinh Province to host the festival because the city has enough facilities to screen the films and is teeming with enthusiastic fans," Sinh says.

"The festival will also help promote Nam Dinh's image," vice chairman of the People's Committee of the province Tran Minh Oanh says.

"We expect the 15th National Film Festival will be a raging success," he says.

A grand opening ceremony will take place at Tran Hung Dao Square.

As well as soaking up the latest movies, guests at the festival will also do some cultural sightseeing at Pho Minh Pagoda, Bao Loc Temple, Bui Chu Church and Mau Temple festival.

(Source: Viet Nam News)