Sipping juice in a small café in Hà Nội in early June, Willem Schaftenaar relaxes before his flight home to the Netherlands. Previously, he was busy in Bản Đôn village in Đắk Lắk province’s Buôn Đôn district working with officials of the provincial Elephant Conservation Centre (ECC) to save near-extinct elephants in Việt Nam.
On Thursday, June 22, the FVH (Friends of Vietnam Heritage) Film Night will present the black-and-white movie Bến Không Chồng (Wharf of Widows) by director Lưu Trọng Ninh, who also plays the film’s main character Nguyễn Vạn. Based on a well-known novel of the same title by author Dương Hướng, which was granted the Việt Nam Writers’ Association Award in 1991, the movie was a Berlin International Film Festival selection.
An exhibition by the artist residency group Cụng, Đụng, Chạm (literally meaning ‘touch’) and ethnic minority groups goes on display from tomorrow at the Hà Nội Old Quarter Culture Exchange Centre from 7pm tomorrow.
German composer, drummer and installation artist Manos Tsangaris will make his first-ever performance in Việt Nam tomorrow night at the Goethe-Institut Hanoi.
Tomorrow, L’Espace will open the lacquer painting exhibition Nature – Nostalgia, which showcases artworks by three artists: Đặng Thu Hương, Lý Trực Sơn, and Nguyễn Thị Quế.
“Fire Fest”, a craft beer and barbeque festival, will be held at Oxygen in District 2 on May 20.
The outdoor bar Saigon Outcast will host a two-day Soul Carnivale music and arts festival on May 27 and 28.
The Friends of Vietnam Heritage’s FVH Film Night will screen the Vietnamese classical movie Làng Vũ Ðại Ngày Ấy (The Old days of Vũ Ðại Village) at the Việt Nam Feature Films studio (VFS) on May 25.
The first Arts & Crafts Market Hanoi will be held this Saturday, from 9am to 5pm at 1B Đặng Thái Thân Street.
Tomorrow, the Ambassador Club will be officially inaugurated by the Diplomatic Corps at the Hanoi Daewoo Hotel, fostering friendly relations among the Heads of Mission and their families.
The Japan Foundation Centre and the General Consulate of Japan in HCM City will host an exhibition of Hokusai Manga, considered the origin of today’s manga, from May 12-26.
An old story about the starfish has inspired Austrian investment bankers to set up a foundation to build schools for needy children in Việt Nam.
Saigon International Comedy Club will present Canadian comedian and singer-songwriter Phil Nichol at Game On on May 12.
On Sunday, Manzi Art Space will host A Sifted Gaze by Dan Drage - an American artist based in Hà Nội.
On Saturday, the Friends of Vietnam Heritage will hold an excursion to Lai Xá photography village in Kim Chung Commune, about 15km west of Hà Nội.
KBBV, the Breton Society in Việt Nam, will organise a celebration of Gouel Breizh, the National Day of Brittany, in HCM City on May 20.
A pop up shop, film screening and art talk on skateboarding will be held from 6pm to 10pm tonight at Work Room Four.
L’Espace will open an art exhibition entitled Cử Động Của Ký Ức (The Gesture of Memories) by Florian Nguyen from 6pm tomorrow. to run until June 4.