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...
Michael Tatarski in Culture
Kite-Flying in Saigon in the Age of Coronavirus
As normal daily life grinds to a halt, last weekend was the final chance for some Saigoneers to take part in a favorite pastime: flying kites at sunset.
Khoi Pham in Film & TV
Saigoneer's Guide to What to Watch While Staying at Home
As the coronavirus outbreak stretches its treacherous tendrils across all aspects of our society, the lives of Vietnamese are gradually becoming more confined to the four walls of our home.
[Video] This New Animated Adaptation of 'Truyen Kieu' Will Brighten up Your Day
What would a millennial take on Truyen Kieu, or The Tale of Kieu in English, look like? The answer is adorable characters, cartoonish effects and facetious narration by veteran comedian Quang Thang.
Shot in Saigon, 'Monsoon' Stars Henry Golding as a Gay British-Vietnamese
Monsoon centers on a gay Vietnam-born British man named Kit as he returns to his home country.
Paul Christiansen in Loạt Soạt
Saigoneer Bookshelf: The Different Dealings of Trauma in 'Birds of Paradise Lost'
“I just can’t get the voices out my head,” Andrew Lam explains of his writing process.
Vietnam's Movie Industry Strides Forward as Much Work Remains
After all it’s been through in conjunction with the historical journey of the nation itself, it's safe to say that it has been one hell of a ride for the Vietnamese film industry.
Saigoneer Bookshelf: Finding Hong in Gangster Noir Thriller ‘Dragonfish’
For those of us who have read countless books by Vietnamese authors and members of the diaspora, the novel Dragonfish is not just one more installment of ethnic literature or postwar fiction.
Thai Thanh, One of Vietnam’s Most Iconic Songstresses, Passes Away at 86
Considered “the voice that echoes through time,” Thai Thanh is an unforgettable legend in Vietnam’s music history.
Saigoneer Podcast: Covid-19 Updates, Quarantine What-Ifs and Wildlife Conservationist Trang Nguyen
Episode 80 is available now!
Contemporary Design Finds a Home in Saigon
Contemporary design is a bit of an “I know it when I see it” style.
An Artist’s Role in Debate at Vo Tran Chau’s Solo Exhibition on Heritage
Located at The Factory Contemporary Arts Centre in District 2, “Leaf Picking in the Ancient Forest” is artist Vo Tran Chau’s largest solo exhibition to date, and is currently on view from February 14 ...
Saigoneer Podcast: Vietnam's Unheralded Women & the Creators of Melon Bê Đê
Our latest episode is out now!
Full Catalogue of Studio Ghibli Soundtracks Finally Available to Stream in Vietnam
Are you ready to have the Totoro theme song stuck in your head for days on end?
29 Letters. 29 Artists. A Cultural Journey Across Vietnam's History and Geography.
“Quoc Tu” features a plethora of images familiar to Vietnamese, from folk games and legends to more recent cultural artifacts such as the Flappy Bird game or Da Nang’s famous golden bridge.
A Vietnamese Curator Is the Latest Victim of Discrimination Due to Coronavirus
Discrimination against people of Asian descent has increased with the spread of the coronavirus.
[Video] Tanita Tikaram's Music Video Offers a Peek Into Vietnam in 1995
Tanita Tikaram is a British singer-songwriter who had commercial success in Europe with her debut album Ancient Heart and singles such as 'Twist in My Sobriety' and Good Tradition' in 1988.
Paul Christiansen in Postcards
Saigon Postcard No. 22: Feline Obstruction
If one needs further proof of cats' superiority to humans, one simply needs to consider their response to Saigon's perpetually stalled public transportation plans.
[Video] This V-Pop Song About Coronavirus Is Going Viral
Besides school closures and dragon fruit bánh mì, the Covid-19 epidemic has also inspired a plethora of whimsical coronavirus-themed songs, videos and parodies.
Khoi Pham in Music & Arts
In 'Tình Tính Tang,' a Progressive Metal Take on Vietnam's Folk Melodies
‘Trong Com’ is unassuming; ‘Trong Com’ is simple and easy to memorize; much like its namesake — a small drum played during traditional ceremonies, the song evokes an idealized image of Vietnam, one th...
Adrien Jean in Culture
[Photos] Life in the Time of the Masks and Coronavirus
These are strange times we're all living in.
