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...
[Photos] A Wintry Japan Through the Lens of Photographer Yusuke Komatsu
Enveloped by the elements, Japan’s capital is both mystifying and enchanting.
[Illustrations] A Medley of 'Year of the Pig' Depictions From 35 Young Artists Across Vietnam
May your Year of the Pig turn out as plump and sleek as the swine icons featured in the Beheoce project.
'Napalm Girl' Kim Phuc Awarded International Peace Prize in Germany
Nearly 50 years after the iconic photo of her running from a bombing raid was taken, Phan Thi Kim Phuc has earned Germany's Dresden award for her support of UNESCO and children wounded in war.
Dana Filek-Gibson in Culture
International Photographer Captures Spirit of Đạo Mẫu in Vibrant Photo Book
Tewfic El-Sawy’s introduction to Đạo Mẫu, also known as the Mother Goddess religion, began with music.
[Video] This Cinemagraph Celebrates Hanoi's Endearing Dawn Aerobics
Every single morning, at sunrise, hundreds of Hanoians descend on Hoan Kiem Lake to practice tai chi, aerobics and laughter yoga, or enjoy a morning stroll to ease the aches from their bones.
Popular Art Quarter Sixty Square to Close this Month
The Year of the Pig begins with some sad news for Hanoi’s creative youth. This month will see the closure of one the city’s most popular art quarters. 60 Square, which reopened after the Tet holiday y...
One Artist, 500 Volunteers and 168,000 Recycled Straws: A Clarion Call Against Plastic
Viral photographer Benjamin Von Wong is no stranger to making waves with his mind-blowing photography, often dedicated to raising awareness about environmental issues while blurring the lines between ...
Experience: How Becoming One of Hanoi's First Drag Queens Transformed My Life
“Oh my god! You look beautiful! You belong on the runway, why aren’t you on the runway?” said Tamah Lake, the organizer of last year’s RuPaul’s Drag Race viewing party events in Hanoi. She came up to ...
[Illustrations] Rebranding Tết Candied Fruits Using Elements From Vietnamese Mythology
It’s Tet time next week, and you know what that means: heaps of candied fruits, seeds and even vegetables in various shapes and colors.
Burning Paper Bikinis for Deceased Ancestors Is Vietnam's Hottest New Vogue
Some new variations of joss paper in Vietnam are getting too risqué for comfort.
Saigoneer Podcast: A Tết-Themed Nhậu Roundtable Special
It's our last episode before the Lunar New Year!
[Video] The Animation Project That Turns Vietnam's History Into Cinematic Marvels
Viet Su Kieu Hung might be the most ambitious project of its kind to have come out of Vietnam.
Saigoneer Podcast: Superstitions, Real or Fake? and 'The Future is Asian' Author Parag Khanna
Episode 40 of the Saigoneer Podcast is available now!
Art in the Clouds: Into Thin Air 2 and the Promise of Digital Exhibits
As a metropolis of nearly eight million, Hanoi is like many other Asian cities: blooming with people, culture, and hectic lifestyles. Along with rampant development, the city faces concerns such as ai...
Once Invisible, Saigon's Underground Scene Emerges Into Light
In just a few short decades, underground hip-hop and youth culture has gained a massive following, not only within Saigon and Vietnam, but all around the globe.
Vietnamese Photographer Nets 2nd Place in Drone Photo Contest
Vietnamese photographer Pham Trung Thanh captured the exact moment the net of an anchovies fisherman's boat hovered atop the surface in Tuy Hoa, like a petal blooming across the dark water.
[Photos] Local Designer Created Incredibly Detailed Swallows From Paper for Tet
As Vietnam goes into full-blown Tet season, it’s impossible to talk a stroll around town without bumping into Lunar New Year imagery.
For the First Time, 2 Vietnamese Designers Will Participate in New York Fashion Week
New York Fashion Week Fall/Winter 2019 will run from February 6 to February 13.
Saigoneer Podcast: Food Delivery Apps and Where We Think Trump and Kim Should Meet
The Saigoneer Podcast is back after taking a few weeks off!
Asia's Largest LGBT Contemporary Art Show to Take Place in Bangkok in 2019
The art show will feature two Vietnamese artists.
