OTTAWA — During the first Vietnamese Culture Week held in Canada between September 11 and 17, a Day of Vietnamese Films was held in Ottawa and Montreal.

Addressing the opening of the day in Ottawa, Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Nguyễn Ngọc Thiện confirmed that in the past ten years, Vietnamese cinema scored huge advancements in both quality and quantity of movies, which had been welcomed by domestic audiences.

“In addition to films featuring contemporary life, love and desire, many films reflect the history and cultural traditions of the country,” he said.

In cinema, the minister said the two countries had kicked off some measures to promote co-operation.

“Việt Nam has attended the Toronto International Film Festival since 1993 and the ASEAN Film Festival in 2017 in Ottawa,” he said.

Cinema experts from Canada also joined the jury for the Hà Nội International Film Festival in 2010.

At the Hà Nội International Film Festival in 2016, the film Remember by Canadian director Atom Egoyan won the Best Feature Film while Canadian actor Christopher Plummer won the Best Actor prize for the same film.

During the two-day Vietnamese Film Day in Ottawa and Montreal, the organisers introduced two movies titled Mỹ Nhân (The Beauty) by director Đinh Thái Thụy and Cô Ba Sài Gòn (The Tailor) directed by Trần Bửu Lộc and Kay Nguyễn.

“Mỹ Nhân is a historic film while Cô Ba Sài Gòn is a modern one,” said Ngô Phương Lan, director of the Cinema Department, under the culture ministry, “Both express Vietnamese cultural identity. Mỹ Nhân is a historical story about the royal palace in the 17^th century. Meanwhile, Cô Ba Sài Gòn celebrates the position of áo dài [traditional long dress] in contemporary society.”

Micheal Hưng, a Vietnamese citizen living in Toronto could not hide his joy at the development of domestic cinema.

“The two films not only remind audiences of Việt Nam but also help praise historical and cultural values of a country in another country, where cultural diversity and identity are highly respected like Canada,” he said.

The Việt Nam Culture Week opened at Canada’s Museum of History in Ottawa on September 11, which aims to celebrate the 73rd anniversary of Việt Nam’s National Day and 45th anniversary of diplomatic ties between the two countries.

The week features various art shows, cuisine and exhibitions on Việt Nam. — VNS