Paul Christiansen

in Literature

How Nam Cao Almost Ruined My Favorite Canal Cafe

Spoilers for an 80-year-old story that every student in the nation is required to read: the dog dies, the old man dies, his son's misfortunes show no sign of abetting. Simply, misery abounds at the end of ‘Lão Hạc.’

Paul Christiansen

in In Plain Sight

On a Boat Ride Through Nhiêu Lộc Canal, a Fish's-Eye View of Saigon

Could your life in Saigon be made into a quirky indie film? 

in Music & Arts

Galuocad's Artworks Create a Universe of Very-Vietnamese Whimsy

Staying in one place for an extended period can lead to what's known as the "boiled frog effect."

in Loạt Soạt

A World of Riveting Medically Inspired Magic in Vanessa Le's YA Debut

Captured by Butchers, the “blackmarket bogey men who deal in rare goods,” Nhika Suonyasan is caged and auctioned off to the city’s elite. A figure in a fox mask attempting to purchase her is outbid by a rich family that carts her off to a mansion that boasts luxury beyond anything Nhika has ever seen. The family immediately commands her to heal a witness to the wealthy patriarch’s death.

in Music & Arts

Lemaire's Campaigns Blend Vietnam's Street Scenes, French Fashion

Stuck in traffic on a Honda Cub, but make it fashion.

in Film & TV

Indie Short Film 'Saigon Kiss' Is a Quintessential Saigon Queer Love Story

Is there a meet-cute more characteristically Saigon than a motorbike breakdown and subsequent friendly assist from a stranger?

in Culture

In Ê-đê Villages, Bến Nước Is the Heart Pumping Water Across the Community

Ever since the beginning of time, Ê-đê people have treated water as a respected resource of the community. Water, in their belief, is the life force bringing about bountiful harvests for the villages.

in Music & Arts

Nam Jam Festival Returns to Đà Nẵng With Week of Mural Arts

The Nam Jam Festival from March 4 to 10 invites more than 50 local and international street artists to create massive works of street art in Đà Nẵng. 

Back Arts & Culture

in Film & TV

October Movies At Saigon’s Alternative Film Venues

It is not Halloween without a dose of horror. Check out which spooky films made the list this year at Saigon's alternative movie-viewing venues. If zombies, ghosts and paranormal activity are not your...

in Film & TV

New Victor Vu Film Wins at International Festival

Last week, Vietnamese film Tôi Thấy Hoa Vàng Trên Cỏ Xanh (Yellow Flowers on the Green Grass) took home the Feature Films of 2015 award at China's Silk Road International Film Festival, held in Fujian...

in Music & Arts

Zelda Goes To The Gallery: Khói Sóng

Khói Sóng, Ha Manh Thang’s new exhibition and his second at Galerie Quynh, is part of the artist's ongoing Vietnam Landscapes (2010 – present) project, in which his reflections on Vietnamese...

in Music & Arts

[Video] Whoever Made This Drone Video of Vietnam's Floods Has a Sense of Humor

Last week, when we all had floodwater up to our kneecaps and half of Saigon was stuck in rush hour traffic, someone was having a good time in northern Vietnam with a drone camera.

in Music & Arts

The Story of the Greatest Female Pirate Retold via Cinemagraph

When it comes to brave, daring women, Asia has no shortage of badass heroines. In Vietnam alone, historical figures like Vo Thi Sau and the Trung sisters are hailed for their courage and str...

in Music & Arts

Zelda Goes To The Gallery: Urbana

When I arrived at deciBel Lounge last week, ready to meet two of the three artists behind photography project Urbana: City View, I was dreading what I would see. Too often, urban-themed artwork turns ...

in Arts & Culture

[Photos] How The Other Half Lives: District 2's Makeshift Village

When you think of District 2, the first thing that comes to mind is massive villas and high-end developments, fancy western-style supermarkets and upscale restaurants. But while Thao Dien may be a hub...

in Music & Arts

Metiseko: How One Local Designer Created An Eco-Friendly Brand

When it comes to fashion, sustainability is not always a high priority in Vietnam. These days, Vietnam is beginning to see more campaigns which aim to raise public awareness around environmental issue...

in Film & TV

Six-Minute Film Depicts Enchanting Landscapes Of Southeast Asia

Soren Nielsen and Victoria Rivera's six-minute film opens with a question: “When did we stop walking if it's what makes us human in the first place?”

in Film & TV

Vietnam Considers Allowing 5 Second Sex Scenes in Movies

Next time you catch a movie at your local theater, keep an eye out for the film's rating on the screen. As of early 2016, you may find that things have changed.

in Culture

[Video] What Happens When Vietnam Sees Domestic Violence In Public

In Vietnam, it's not unusual to stop and stare when something is out of the ordinary. But while some incidents are fairly tame – think wedding photos or street performers – there are also times when t...

in Film & TV

King Kong Prequel to Be Filmed in Vietnam

The director of Hollywood's King Kong prequel, Kong: Skull Island, has arrived in Vietnam and is scouting possible locations for the blockbuster-to-be.

in Culture

[Photos] Vietnam's Mooncake Masters

Mooncakes are probably the most sophisticated of Vietnamese pastries. Round, square or animal-shaped, these dense mid-autumn festival treats are always marked with a golden crust and intricate pattern...

in Music & Arts

Artist Spotlight: Saigon's DAOS501

Saigon-based graffiti artist DAOS501's visceral, introspective artwork explores the animalistic side of humanity in his first solo exhibition, now on display through September 30 at 3A Station's ...

in Music & Arts

Zelda Goes To The Gallery: A Material History Of Man And Animal

Cave paintings, the Latin poet Lucretius, the slavery of consumerism and, more prominently, the evolution between mankind and nature are some of the ingredients effortlessly intertwined in the rivetin...

in Film & TV

Emotional Short Film Depicts LGBT Life In Rural Vietnam

Vietnamese film seems to be growing by leaps and bounds these days. Whether it's gracing the festival circuit or taking home prestigious awards, the country's film industry is blossoming not only...

in Music & Arts

[Photos] Lives of Asian Immigrants Captured Through Lens of Vietnamese-American Photographer

In Vietnam, like many countries around the world, the United States earns a reputation as the land of opportunity. The cities are modern, jobs are plentiful, the country is home to scores of world-cla...

in Music & Arts

[Photos] Young Artist Creates Beautiful Paintings From Daily Materials

Vietnam is home to a host of talented, up-and-coming artists. Whether through paint or sculpture, performance or film, young creatives are pushing boundaries in the art world not only by using new sub...

in Music & Arts

Meet the Man Who’s Rewriting the Rules of Traditional Vietnamese Calligraphy

More often than not, the best things in Saigon take place on the sidewalk. Whether moonlighting as a parking lot or a restaurant, a barbershop or a spa, the lề đường is a rich eco system of all things...

in Culture

[Video] Social Experiment Gauges The Honesty Of Danang, Hoi An Locals

Earlier this month, Danang student group Black or White wanted to create a social experiment to gauge the honesty of local residents.