Director Phan Đăng Di will be among the speakers at the Taste of Asia, a series of virtual discussions on Asian film production. Photo elle.vn

HÀ NỘI — A series of virtual discussions that offer an insight into the characteristics and issues film productions in Asia face will be held by the Centre for Young Cinematography Talent Development this July and August.

The discussions, entitled Hương Vị Châu Á (Taste of Asia), will be presented by prestigious Vietnamese film researchers such as director Phan Đăng Di, critic Lê Hồng Lâm and Doctor of Literature Mai Anh Tuấn.

Each session's theme will cover five countries including India, Iran, Korea, Japan and Việt Nam, and take place at 3pm every Saturday and Sunday from July 11 to August 14 via Zoom.

Taste of Asia will kick off with a presentation from director Phan Đăng Di who is well known for his drama Bi, Đừng Sợ! (Bi, Don’t Be Afraid). He will be sharing his thoughts about life and death as portrayed in films by Indian director Satyajit Ray.

Dr Mai Anh Tuấn from Hanoi University of Culture will also talk about Iranian director Abbas Kiarostami.

Covering East Asia will be Film critic, Lê Hồng Lâm, who will explore the global popularity of the new wave of South Korean cinema and researcher Đỗ Văn Hoàng who will discuss films by Japanese director Hiroshi Shimizu.

Vietnamese works and filmmakers will include critic and screenwriter Vũ Ánh Dương who will deliver a talk about films by directors Síu Phạm and Trương Minh Quý. Artist Nguyễn Quốc Thành will also share his thoughts about Song Lang (The Tap Box) by director Leon Quang Lê.

In order to participate in the events, audiences will need to fill in the online registration form available on the Facebook page of TPD. Information about movies and issues that are discussed will also be updated on TPD Facebook prior to each session.

Opening the series is a screening of Pather Panchali (Song of the Little Road) by celebrated Indian director Satyajit Ray (1921-1992). The first film in The Apu Trilogy and also Satyajit’s debut work, Pather Panchali depicts the childhood of the protagonist Apu (Subir Banerjee) and his elder sister Durga (Uma Dasgupta) and the harsh village life for their poor family.

The film is considered a turning point of Indian cinema and one of the pioneers of the parallel cinema movement. Influenced by the Italian neo-realist genre, the film won many acclamations worldwide, taking home the best film award in India in 1955 and a Best Human Document award at the Cannes Film Festival in 1956. — VNS