Mr. Dinh Toan Thang, Vietnamese Ambassador to France, spoke at the opening ceremony.
Impressive numbers and special significance of the Week
The event attracted more than 2,700 audiences from 23 countries, creating a vibrant cultural and artistic exchange space between the French public, the Vietnamese community and Vietnamese cinema lovers in Europe. About 200 volunteers from many countries accompanied and supported the organization, contributing to demonstrating the spirit of solidarity and strongly spreading Vietnamese cultural values.
Mr. Dinh Toan Thang, Ambassador of Vietnam to France said: “The Vietnamese Cinema Week in Paris is a very big, very important and meaningful event in terms of Vietnamese culture, art and cinema, highly appreciated by the French public as well as French public opinion. We hope that this will be an unforgettable mark on the path of Vietnamese cinema as well as the Vietnam-France exchange on cinema and culture and art in general.”
Speaking at the ceremony, Dr. Ngo Phuong Lan - President of the Vietnam Cinema Promotion and Development Association expressed: "This is the first time a major Vietnamese cinema event like this has been held in the City of Light, Paris, on the occasion of Vietnam's 50th anniversary of national reunification and the 80th anniversary of the National Day of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, and also in December, when the world remembers the 130th anniversary of the birth of cinema by the Lumière brothers - an art form that has contributed to changing human history, enriching the inner world and life."
Professor Nguyen Duc Khuong, representative of the Organizing Committee, emphasized: “Cinema, with its power to spread across borders, is the door for the world to understand Vietnam. Not only stopping in Paris, this is the first step to create the premise for the journey to bring Vietnamese cinema to many other countries, expanding the global network of cultural and artistic cooperation.”
Cinematic Symphony – Emotional Opening Music
The opening of the event night was a unique "symphony" told through cinema and music, taking the audience on an emotional journey throughout the history of Vietnamese cinema. Familiar melodies from "Endless Fields" and "The Legend of Quan Tien" resounded in the magnificent space of Grand Rex, recalling unforgettable imprints of the country's art. The highlight was the performance of Sous le Ciel de Paris through the cello of artist Dinh Hoai Xuan, combined with the string orchestra of the Paris Symphony Orchestra, creating a delicate and profound artistic moment. Along with that, the immortal song La vie en rose, a symbol of love and happiness, associated with the name of Édith Piaf since 1945, was performed emotionally by Diva Hong Nhung, becoming the sublime moment of the program.
Dr. Ngo Phuong Lan - President of Vietnam Cinema Promotion and Development Association spoke at the opening ceremony.
"Air Deathmatch" opens with a special impression on French audiences
The highlight of the opening night was the premiere of the film "Fighting in the Air". This was the film chosen to open the show, representing the action film genre with elaborate investment in contemporary Vietnamese cinema, inspired by the 1978 hijacking incident. Before the show, the audience also had the opportunity to visit the panoramic photo exhibition of Vietnamese cinema, solemnly displayed in the cinema lobby, providing a multi-dimensional view of the history and development of the seventh art in the S-shaped land.
International audiences expressed surprise and delight. Director and actor Stéphan Ly Cuong shared: “I was really impressed. I did not know this story and really liked the way the actors performed. I already loved Kaity Nguyen and Thai Hoa and this time they continued to surprise me. Vietnamese cinema is developing strongly and I believe it has the ability to cross borders and reach international audiences.”
Mr. Jean-Marc Leheurte, Gustave Eiffel University shared: “I have not had many opportunities to be exposed to Vietnamese cinema. However, my university still has cinema courses, so we are always open to all quality cinema in the world and I think Vietnamese cinema is definitely among them.”
Representatives of Vietnamese film crews appeared on the red carpet of the event.
From the perspective of the Vietnamese community in France, Hoang Khanh, a Vietnamese student studying in Paris, said: “The program is really grand, with the appearance of many great Vietnamese artists. When watching Deathmatch in the Sky, I felt patriotism and national pride rise strongly. I hope there will be more film weeks like this in France, so that the world can see that Vietnam is growing strongly.”
Mr. Augustin Brutus Jay Kumar from India shared his profound views on the significance of Vietnamese films appearing in Europe: “I think that today it is very important that the image of Asian countries, brought to Europe – by the Vietnamese themselves, through Vietnamese films – contributes to strengthening cultural, political , social and economic links”.
The event became a vibrant meeting place for the art world with famous artists from Vietnam, France and internationally such as: Meritorious Artist Le Vi, actress Kaity Nguyen, actress Linh Dan Pham (the star who appeared in the classic film Indochina); director Kim Chapiron (one of the prominent faces of contemporary French cinema)...
The opening ceremony of the “Vietnamese Cinema in Paris” Week is a brilliant opening activity for the series of cultural events “Vietnam - Symphony of Love” initiated by AVSE Global, aiming to promote Vietnamese culture to the world through creative, unique, and profound forms.
A large number of delegates and audiences attended the Opening Ceremony of 'Vietnamese Cinema - Journey of Light' Week
The "Vietnamese Cinema - Journey of Light" Week will continue until December 12, 2025, welcoming about 5,000 visitors with 17 typical cinema works being screened, which are works that have been selected and won awards at major international film festivals such as Hawaii, Cannes, Busan, Berlin, Nantes..., as well as high awards of Vietnam: When will October come, Wild Fields, Apartments, Retired Generals, Don't Be Afraid, Children in the Dew, Coolie Never Cries, I See Yellow Flowers on the Green Grass, Rain on Butterfly Wings, Radiant Ashes, Wake Up and Be Ready, Clouds But Not Rain, Somewhere by the Hospital, Elephants by the Roadside, Song Lang and newly produced films that are cultural and social phenomena in Vietnam such as Red Rain, Death Battle in the Air - premiering for the first time in Europe.
Participating in the Vietnam Cinema Week in Paris will be cultural activists, film experts, Vietnamese filmmakers including famous directors, producers, actors and artists. In addition to film screenings, the Vietnam Cinema Week in Paris program also includes: Panoramic photo exhibition on Vietnamese cinema; Exchanges and discussions with film lovers and young filmmakers; Workshop on connecting cooperation between Vietnam and France cinema...
Diep Anh
Source: https://baochinhphu.vn/khai-mac-tuan-le-dien-anh-viet-nam-hanh-trinh-anh-sang-102251206171828844.htm
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