From Cheap Flicks to Local Identity: A Brief History of Vietnamese Horror Films
Horror films have been a part of Vietnamese cinema for a long time, since the heyday of the country’s film industry. But the genre's journey has been challenging. For one, its track record includes ma...
Thành Đồng's Music Is a Breath of Fresh Air in the Era of Overproduction
Inspired by life 's simple joys, Thành Đồng delivers a sense of familiarity, earnestness, and narrative richness with every song.
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?
Hanoi Director's Debut 'Cu Li Never Cries' Wins Best 1st Feature at Berlin Film Festival
After Inside the Yellow Cocoon Shell won the Camera D’or award at Cannes last year, this year, another independent film from Vietnam was honored at Berlinale.
From Trash to Treasure: How Sở Thú Studio Crafts Animated Stories From Scraps
From old newspapers, coffee grounds, used styrofoam boxes, sticks, and more, Sở thú Studio, a collective of young creatives, has created many fascinating animation projects.
Khôi Phạm in Film & TV
Review: 'Bến Phà Xác Sống' Is the 2nd-Worst Movie I've Ever Watched. I'm Sad It's Over.
The day when the Saigoneer team organized a little get-together to watch Bến Phà Xác Sống in the cinema, I was running seriously late.
Review: ‘Bên Trong Vỏ Kén Vàng’ Is a Soul-Searching Mission in the Lâm Đồng Mist
On the pastures of slow cinema where Andrei Tarkovsky, Tsai Ming-liang and Theo Angelopoulos reside, Phạm Thiên Ân's debut feature, Bên Trong Vỏ Kén Vàng (Inside the Yellow Cocoon Shell), has made its...
Cannes Caméra D'or Winner 'Inside the Yellow Cocoon Shell' to Hit Vietnam Theaters in August
Following its win at the latest Cannes Film Festival, Bên Trong Vỏ Kén Vàng (Inside the Yellow Cocoon Shell) will officially premiere in theaters across Vietnam next month.
After 4 Years, Krossing Over Arts Festival Returns to Saigon With a Week of Events
After a four-year hiatus, performing art extravaganza Krossing Over Arts Festival (KOAF) officially makes a comeback this April with a week of events to delight Saigon’s art lovers.
The Ethereal Fever Dream Inside MV 'Dung Họa' by Hanoi Indie Duo Limebócx
After years in production, Hanoi indie duo Limebócx’s long-awaited music video for ‘Dung Họa’ was finally released this month, a much-needed treat for fans who have waited years for new music from the...
'Tro Tàn Rực Rỡ' Wins Top Prize at Film Festival in France
Recently, Tro Tàn Rực Rỡ (Glorious Ashes), a Vietnamese film directed by Bùi Thạc Chuyên, was awarded the highest honor at the Nantes Festival of Three Continents.
'Đêm Tối Rực Rỡ!' Wins Best Feature Film at 2021 Golden Kite Awards
In addition to Best Feature Film, Đêm Tối Rực Rỡ! (The Brilliant Darkness!) earned Lý Nguyễn Nhã Uyên a win for Best Leading Actress and Best Screenplay for the drama co-written and directed...
Khôi Phạm in Film & TV
Review: 'Cù Lao Xác Sống' Is the Worst Movie I've Ever Watched. I Love It to Death.
When we entered the auditorium to watch Cù Lao Xác Sống, no theater attendant was there to check our tickets. Perhaps the telling emptiness of the room made them realize they could be doing better thi...
Khôi Phạm in Film & TV
Review: 'Maika' Is What Happens When You Take Children Seriously
Maika is a loving tribute to Vietnam’s childhood icon of the 1980s, but for those who didn’t grow up with the original Eastern European series, what’s in it for us?
Khôi Phạm in Film & TV
Review: 'U Linh Tích Ký' Shows Made-in-Vietnam Animation Prowess, but Is Light on Narrative
Premiered less than 24 hours ago, a made-in-Vietnam animation project has quickly become the talk of the town in the local cybersphere thanks to its high production values and intriguing concept.
From Commercial Releases to Heartfelt Docs: A Brief History of Vietnam's Notable Queer Films
Personally honest, socially important and commercially sexy, modern movies about gay and transgender people are among the better works of contemporary Vietnamese cinema.
Director Mai Vũ Wins 'Lights on Women' Award at Cannes Film Festival
Spring Roll Dream is a touching rumination on inter-generational dynamics of a Vietnamese family living in the US.
'Spring Roll Dream,' a Short Film by Vietnamese Director Mai Vu, Is Screening at Cannes Festival
A short film directed by a Vietnamese director will be screened as part of the upcoming Cannes Film Festival.
Fantasy Film Based on 'Maika' to Represent Vietnam at Sundance Film Festival
A fantasy film will represent Vietnam at the 2022 Sundance Film Festival.
Charlie Nguyen to Direct Film Based on Life of 'Perfect Spy' Phạm Xuân Ẩn
The storied life of perhaps Vietnam’s most famous intelligence officer will be adapted for the silver screen in the near future.
Filmmaker Hà Lệ Diễm Wins Best Directing Award at Documentary Film Fest
Children of the Mist (Những Đứa Trẻ Trong Sương) is the debut long feature of Vietnamese documentarian Hà Lệ Diễm.
Conservation Project Seeks Local Filmmakers to Make Bear Documentary
FOUR PAWS Viet Wildlife Conservation Center is looking for a Vietnamese filmmaker to create a documentary about the stories of their rescued bears at the Bear Sanctuary Ninh Binh.
Michael Tatarski in Film & TV
Meet the Vietnamese Creators of 'Centuries and Still,' a Short Decrying Anti-Asian Racism
How much history are you aware of?
Q&A: In Conversation With 'The Future Cries Beneath Our Soil' Director Phạm Thu Hằng
Do communities inherit the sorrows of war? Is trauma re-experienced by the sons and daughters of those who suffered? How does life prevail amidst the normalization of loss? Pham Thu Hang’s debut film,...
The Vietnamese Filmmaker Turning Travelogues Into Cinematic Spectacles
Kop Dinh is a professional travel videographer whose YouTube channel has become a trusted online platform among young viewers thanks to carefully crafted videos showcasing Vietnam’s famed places of in...
[Video] 'Lão Hạc' Movie Adaptation Releases Trailer, to Hit Theaters Next Year
The movie is among a handful of Vietnamese features that have a dog in a starring role.
Khôi Phạm in Film & TV
Review: 'Đoạn Trường Vinh Hoa' Is Cải Lương at Its Most Heart-Wrenching
As the screening came to an end, there were quiet sobs echoing softly across the auditorium. For a lot of us viewers with water in our eyes, it was a complete surprise that a documentary about a seemi...
Khôi Phạm in Film & TV
'Ròm' Review: A Sterling Portrait of Saigon's Dark Underbelly, Despite Falling Short of Its Potential
I stepped out of the theater after watching Ròm with a heaviness weighing down my shoulders. It was, however, a refreshing feeling that one rarely experiences after a Vietnamese feature film these day...
Ngô Thanh Vân to Produce Vietnam's First Superhero Movie, Vinaman
Horror, historical fiction, comedy, heist, coming-of-age — in recent years, Vietnamese filmmakers have gradually come up with their own interpretation of many classic movie genres. But what about a su...
On the Road With One of Vietnam's Last Traveling Cải Lương Troupes
Most Saigoneers know cải lương as a form of television entertainment usually enjoyed by their parents or grandparents, but not many are aware of the art form’s important role in the nightlife of resid...
Review: Red Balloons, a Fresh Musical Take on Vintage Vietnamese Cartoons
At 6:30pm on July 5, Red Balloons: Music for 20th Century Vietnamese Animation took place at the Institut français de Hanoi-L'Espace. It was organized by The Onion Cellar and The Centre for Assis...
Two Vietnamese Films Shortlisted for SeaShorts Film Festival 2020
The film festival will be held online from September 12-20.
Envisioning the Mekong's Future Through the Eyes of 5 Regional Filmmakers
The future of the Mekong Delta is uncertain. The river and the people that rely on it are facing the impact of climate change, extreme weather conditions, rising sea levels, saline intrusion, hydropow...
3 Vietnamese Films Selected for Locarno Film Festival
The Locarno Film Festival opens this month for the 72nd year running, this time as a new hybrid edition titled "For the Future of Films."
Paul Christiansen in Film & TV
How Famed Filmmaker Việt Linh Built a Family Around Art
“The lonely sound of a lute cannot cure your pain. You need Tơ’s singing to bring you serenity.”
Hanoi International Film Festival Delayed Until 2022 Due to Pandemic
The effects of the global COVID-19 pandemic forced organizers to push the event back from its scheduled date of November 4–8.
For Vietnam's Filmmakers, the Pandemic Brings Business, Impetus to Adapt
Six months have passed since COVID-19 first reared its head, and still its impact reverberates chaotically across the planet.
Award-Winning Film 'Rom' to Hit Theaters in Vietnam on July 31
After eight years in development and months of not knowing whether the movie would be allowed to be screened, the filmmakers behind Rom can now heave a sigh of relief.
[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.
Khôi Phạm in Film & TV
Review: Despite Laughable Jump Scares, 'Bắc Kim Thang' Is Surprisingly Smart and Topical
With lush landscapes of the Mekong Delta as the background, Bắc Kim Thang is surprisingly wicked and intelligent, but most importantly, it provides feminist advocates a new way to topple the patriarch...
Khoi Pham in Film & TV
Review: When Indie Music Meets Indie Cinema on a Grab in Saigon
In today’s aggressive stream of Marvel blockbusters, doll- and shark-themed horror flicks, and gratuitous comedies, Troi Sang Roi, Ta Ngu Di Thoi (Good Morning and Good Night) is like a stubborn wild ...
[Video] In Remembrance of a Green Ton Duc Thang Past
October 2017 spelled the death of Ton Duc Thang Street in spirit after Saigon maintenance workers started slaying its trees to make way for bridge construction.
