Going to Paris to see the Vietnamese Film Week.

The Vietnamese Film Week in Paris – a memorable and luminous journey for the Vietnamese community in France and Europe – took place from December 5th to 12th. This was the first Vietnamese film week organized on such a large scale, attracting a huge audience.

Right from the opening night with the film "Battle in the Air ," the magnificent Grand Rex cinema in Paris was packed with nearly 2,700 viewers from European countries such as Sweden, England, Italy, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Belgium… and the United States and Australia. International guests included director Tran Anh Hung, actress Pham Linh Dan, renowned Hollywood screenwriter and producer Vy Vincent Ngo…; film producers from France, along with many intellectuals and experts from various countries, and actors from different generations of Vietnam such as Huu Muoi, Le Tu Oanh, Kaity Nguyen, as well as the cast and crew of "Battle in the Air" and "Red Rain ." Screenings throughout the week were fully booked, with long queues of viewers, alongside other European blockbusters. Each screening included Q&A sessions with the audience that lasted until late at night, and many questions were asked about the film, the cinematic techniques, the actors, and the Vietnamese story conveyed through the film… Director Le Binh Giang, from Ho Chi Minh City, said he was deeply moved to see the classic film "The Wild Field" on the big screen at the Grand Rex Paris cinema. The large-scale organization of the event shows that there is much hope for many avenues to reach and distribute Vietnamese films abroad.

Representing the Organizing Committee of Vietnam Film Week - Journey of Light, Ambassador Dinh Toan Thang and Ms. Ngo Phuong Lan - President of the Vietnam Film Promotion and Development Association.

Photo: Vietnam Cinéma à Paris

A comprehensive overview of Vietnam and Vietnamese cinema in Paris.

Bringing Vietnamese culture to the world is the message of the Vietnam - Symphony of Love project initiated by AVSE Global. The Vietnam Film Week - Journey of Light event kicks off a series of upcoming activities including fashion , cuisine, performing and contemporary art, exhibitions, and more. The event is organized by AVSE Global in collaboration with the Vietnam Film Development Promotion Association (VFDA), under the patronage of the Vietnamese Embassy in France. This is the result of the aspirations and efforts of a generation of Vietnamese experts and intellectuals in France and Europe, as well as the global network of Vietnamese people, with the strength of unity and shared purpose for their homeland, Vietnam, and the interconnectedness and intercultural exchange within today's information highway.

The Vietnam Film Week - Journey of Light is one of a series of national cultural events approved by the Prime Minister, aiming to promote the image and culture of Vietnam in Europe, while also contributing to strengthening diplomatic relations between Vietnam and France. The event also serves as a cross-generational connection for contemporary Vietnamese cinema, recognizing and honoring the contributions, creativity, and influence of generations of Vietnamese artists, directors, producers, and actors over the past 50 years.

This week introduces to French audiences and the European community representative works of Vietnamese cinema, from the post-reunification period (1975), the Doi Moi (Renovation) period, to contemporary cinema today.

Representatives of Vietnamese film crews appeared on the red carpet of the event.

Photo: Vietnam Cinéma à Paris

The author of the article (left) poses for a commemorative photo with director Tran Anh Hung.

Photo: Media Team of Vietnam Film Week in Paris

The films selected for screening are works that have been honored at international film festivals and awards such as Cannes, Busan, Berlin, Nantes, Moscow, Hawaii, etc., including: When Will October Come?, The Wild Field, The Retired General, The Apartment, Bi, Don't Be Afraid!, The Coolie Never Cries, Song Lang, Brilliant Ashes, Rain on the Butterfly Wings, I See Yellow Flowers on Green Grass, Deathmatch in the Air, Red Rain… Many French viewers were surprised by the Vietnamese action film production techniques in Deathmatch in the Air (directed by Ham Tran) after the opening screening. Magali de Prelle, an opera singer in France, shared: "I liked the opening with the musical performance by Vietnamese artists and the film was really interesting, with many people laughing at the humorous dialogues, especially the character with the durian. The film was tense and exciting, making it impossible for me to laugh, but it truly provided a relaxing feeling."

The Vietnamese Film Week concluded with the screening of the film "Red Rain" on December 12th and a Q&A session with the film crew. Welcoming winter and Christmas in Paris with the Vietnamese Film Week, I felt as if I had been illuminated, touched by the spirit of my homeland and the "Vietnamese language"—not just the voice, but also the images, the frames, the emotions, the human feelings present in a world of harmony between Vietnamese landscapes across different historical periods over the past 50 years.

The Grand Rex Theatre in Paris was packed with spectators on opening day.

Photo: Vietnam Cinéma à Paris

I would like to conclude this article with some insights from Alain-Cyril Barioz, PhD in history, philosophy, art, and geopolitics, and lecturer at the Lycee Janson de Sally in Paris: "For the first time, the French public has fully experienced the atmosphere of Vietnamese films throughout history, from the wars to the period of reform, and gained a multifaceted perspective on the lives, psychology, and emotions of various social strata in Vietnam. We hope to see films on pressing current issues such as the lives of people in modern times, facing the dangers of climate change and natural disasters…" Dr. Alain-Cyril Barioz further observes: "The film week is an opportunity for the French and Europeans to learn and understand more about Vietnam, and also an opportunity for Vietnamese people in France and elsewhere to learn more about Vietnam and join hands to move towards the future."

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/den-paris-xem-tuan-phim-viet-nam-185251211210246975.htm