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...
Son Tung M-TP Is Launching His Own Social Network for Fans in 2020
Forget Facebook, Instagram and Twitter, 2020 will be the year of SkySocial.
Thi Nguyễn in Culture
How Vietnam's Pop Culture Leaves Behind Past Stigmas to Embrace Queerness
The recent rise of music videos and pop culture products that feature androgynous idols and same-sex love has invited mixed responses and debates in the media, which open a window into Vietnam’s histo...
Khoi Pham in Music & Arts
A Young Hanoi Orchestra Brings Symphonic Disney Nights to Saigon
Growing up with the touching stories of Walt Disney Studios, many Saigoneers have formed a personal connection with the cheery tunes of songs like The Little Mermaid’s ‘Under the Sea’ or the icon...
Hanoi Students Win Prize at Asian International Children's Film Festival in Japan
The students won the Excellent Prize for their emotional film about friendship.
Film Adaptation of Comic Series 'Than Dong Dat Viet' to Hit Theaters Next Year
One of Vietnamese youth’s biggest childhood icons is coming to the big screen.
Adrien Jean in Culture
[Photos] The Evolution of Saigon Residents in an Ad, Ad, Ad World
Exploring Saigon’s streets through my lens has helped me to understand the city in a deeper way and to be a witness of its development.
Kit Humphrey in Culture
[Photos] The Naked Truth Behind Hanoi's 'Banana Island' Nudists
Hanoi is a conservative capital where young couples rarely kiss in public, yet along the banks of the Red River, a men's nudist club thrives.
Saigoneer Podcast: A SEA Games Deep Dive; Restaurateurs Phuong Ngo & Jerome Buzenet
Our latest episode is available now!
Paul Christiansen in Postcards
Saigon Postcard No. 20: Ephemeral Holiday Feelings
Soft lights illuminate Saigon's dark alleys and streets the way holiday cheer brightens the lamentations for another year passing.
Đen, Mỹ Tâm, Vũ. Are the Most-Streamed Vietnamese Artists of 2019 on Spotify
As 2019 draws to a close, music streaming platform Spotify has released its year-end statistics.
Khoi Pham in Music & Arts
Year in Review: Saigoneer's 20 Picks for Best Vietnamese Music of 2019
In a nutshell, 2019 has been a year of milestones, blurring of genres and retrospection for Vietnamese music.
Saigon Independent Art Space San Art Launches Fundraising Exhibition This Month
Founded in 2007 by four artists including Dinh Q. Le, Tiffany Chung, Tuan Andrew Nguyen and Ha Thuc Phu Nam, the space is one of Saigon’s pioneer independent, non-profit and artist-initiated art platf...
Michael Tatarski in Music & Arts
What's Inside the Eclectic Sets of Coracle Music Festival's 2nd Edition?
Perfect weather, a beautiful setting and great acts — what more do you need from a music festival?
[Video] Loss and Sacrifice Permeate Every Minute of New MV for ‘Canh Chim Trang’
A profound sense of loss, longing and rueful self-awareness pervade every minute of a new music video for ‘Canh Chim Trang,’ sung by Pham Thuy Dung.
[Photos] Road Safety Campaign Pokes Fun at Vietnam's Traffic Offenses
Titled “Traffic in Wonderland,” a road safety campaign features a series of photos taken on Vietnam’s streets, with added cheeky drawings.
[Photos] China's Massive Film Studios Are a Full-Fledged Alternate Universe
“Across the country, entire towns have been constructed around making movies. Moreover, movie sets in China are not mere plywood facades, but monumental fortresses, maze-like palaces, and complete urb...
Singapore Biennale Features Works by Vietnamese Artists Ngoc Nau, Le Quang Ha
If you happen to be in Singapore in the next few months, check out the works of Ngoc Nau and Le Quang Ha as part of the Singapore Biennale 2019.
Thi Nguyen in Music & Arts
In 'Method,' Performers Explore Contemporary Dance's Universe of Movements
On the day of my visit, the dancers of ‘Method’ were practicing an exercise that involves many people crashing into each other before they all proceed to fall to the ground; their movements resemble v...
[Video] The Effortlessly Cool Longboarders Conquering Saigon Sidewalks in Áo Dài
Have you ever seen something so effortlessly kickass?
Michael Tatarski in Film & TV
[Video] A Day in the Life of an Ordinary Schoolgirl in Saigon
What might life be like for a public school student in Saigon who hails from a less well-off family?
