It's sigh-of-relief time at the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. After a tumultuous build-up, a host-free, more streamlined Oscars yielded a mild uptick in ratings Sunday night, and while far from perfect, a slick and satisfying enough show to avoid the disaster that some surely anticipated. The question is: Now what? Like the Grammys, the Oscars achieved a modest audience gain, after an alarming drop in 2018. Yet the lessons that the Academy can apply going forward aren't entirely clear -- thanks in part to all the variables at play -- other than the fact that efforts to change or evolve the show and its format in any significant way, including the nominees and winners, are going to be met with stiff resistance from traditionalists who would protect the institution. Sifting through the remnants of Oscar night, here are five key takeaways, and areas that the Academy will surely be contemplating in postmortem conversations: The ratings Oscar ratings exhibited marked … [Read more...] about Oscars 2019: Takeaways from the ‘host-free’ Academy Awards
Award winning short documentaries
“Roma” wins Bafta glory in new advance for Netflix
Mexican director Alfonso Cuaron poses with the awards for a Director and for Best Film for 'Roma' at the BAFTA British Academy Film Awards. (Ben STANSALL/AFP) The cinematic love letter to director Alfonso Cuaron's childhood in Mexico City in the 1970s edged out black comedy "The Favourite" for best film and best director. "I'm seriously touched this film has been received the way it's been received," Cuaron said at a star-studded ceremony in London's Royal Albert Hall that was also attended by Prince William and his wife Kate, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge. Britain's Prince William, Duke of Cambridge (left), and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, arrive for the BAFTA British Academy Film Awards. (Tim Ireland/POOL/AP/AFP) Cuaron thanked Netflix for "having the courage" to get behind "Roma" as he picked up the gong on stage. The success of the film "in an age where fear and anger are proposed to divide us means the world to me", he said. Netflix UK tweeted its … [Read more...] about “Roma” wins Bafta glory in new advance for Netflix
‘Inside This Peace’ named Best Documentary at California film fest
A scene from the film (Source: film crew) Hanoi (VNS/VNA) - Vietnamese filmmaker Linh Nga’s ‘Inside This Peace’ has won the prize for the Best Feature Documentary at the California Women’s Film Festival. The documentary is about a forgotten victim of Agent Orange (AO) in Vietnam who is struggling to live in peace. Thoa, the film’s subject, has “scary skin with huge black patches, numerous lumps and hair all over her body”. The lumps are filled with fluid and cannot be drained. For decades, Thoa’s parents have been looking for the Government’s help. "I hope the award will help Thoa and other AO victims in Vietnam have more opportunity to raise their voices," said filmmaker Nga. "I’m living and working in the US and it is not easy for me to make a film about AO victims in peace. "Sending the documentary to film festivals and winning the award is not only a success for the filmmakers but also for AO … [Read more...] about ‘Inside This Peace’ named Best Documentary at California film fest
Inside This Peace named Best Documentary
Viet Nam News HÀ NỘI — Vietnamese filmmaker Linh Nga’s Inside This Peace has won the prize for the Best Feature Documentary at the California Women’s Film Festival. The documentary is about a forgotten victim of Agent Orange (AO) in Việt Nam who is struggling to live in peace. Thoa, the film’s subject, has “scary skin with huge black patches, numerous lumps and hair all over her body”. The lumps are filled with fluid and cannot be drained. For decades, Thoa’s parents have been looking for Government help. "I hope the award will help Thoa and other AO victims in Việt Nam have more opportunity to raise their voices," said filmmaker Nga. "I’m living and working in the US and it is not easy for me to make a film about AO victims in peace. "Sending the documentary to film festivals and winning the award is not only a success for the filmmakers but also for AO victims,” Nga said. “I didn’t make … [Read more...] about Inside This Peace named Best Documentary
Vietnamese documentary gets best director award at Singapore film fest
The SGIFF award, given Saturday night, was for the documentary, The Future Cries Beneath Our Soil, which revolves around the postwar lives of four people in the central province of Quang Tri, the site of many clashes between Vietnamese and American forces. After the war, to survive, the characters work for a gold mine and remove leftover bombs. "When I was abroad, I thought of making a film related to the Vietnam War. The project kicked off in 2014 and was completed after four years," she said. Pham Thu Hang (middle) at the Singapore International Film Festival. Photo by VnExpress/An Nguyen Hang studied documentary filmmaking in Portugal, Hungary and Belgium. Before that, she was a researcher in Vietnam. Her next film is about leprosy patients. Beside Hang, Dao Thi Minh Trang’s Never Been Kissed was awarded the Most Promising Project of the Southeast Asian Film Lab. The award carries a prize money of more than $2,000. The movie is about two women who are best … [Read more...] about Vietnamese documentary gets best director award at Singapore film fest
“Don’t play with natural disasters” wins first prize of film contest
The nine-minute documentary “Dung dua voi thien tai” (Don’t play with natural disasters) by Khanh Hoa province’s TV and Radio won the first prize of the short reportage and film contest, themed “Extreme natural disasters – lessons of the past and ideas for future actions”. Winners of the film contest - Source: VNA The Central Steering Committee for Natural Disaster Prevention and Control and the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) held the awards ceremony in Hanoi on May 22. Theo VNA … [Read more...] about “Don’t play with natural disasters” wins first prize of film contest
Vietnamese film wins monthly award at Top Shorts festival
The movie got the titles, “Best Trailer” and “Inspiring Woman in a film”. It honors painter Nguyen Thu Thuy, who is the main character in the film and her team; and their artworks, such as internationally famous ‘ceramic road’ running along the Red River in Hanoi, the ceramic mosaic “ Vietnam – France friendship” in Choisy le Roi city hall (France), the Vietnam Ceramic Mosaic Flag in Truong Sa islands (Spratly Islands). The giant ceramic mosaic national flag of Vietnam was made 310,000 ceramic tiles covering an area of 310 square meters. The work was given recognition by the Vietnam Book of Records as the largest ceramic national flag of the country in 2012. The ceramic mosaic “ Vietnam – France friendship” in Choisy le Roi city hall (France) was made by artist Nguyen Thu Thuy in 2013 to celebrate the 40th Anniversary of the signing of Paris Peace Agreement (1973-2013). “Ceramic road along the Red … [Read more...] about Vietnamese film wins monthly award at Top Shorts festival
Vietnamese documentary wins at Top Shorts film festival
Painter Nguyễn Thu Thủy presents her mural to soldiers, a scene in the film directed by Nguyễn Nghiêm Nhan. — Photo courtesy of the artistViet Nam News HÀ NỘI — A documentary about the ceramic art of Nguyễn Thu Thủy won two prizes at the Top Shorts online film festival, the organiser announced recently on its website. The film Thu Thủy - A Dream of Ceramics was directed by Nguyễn Nghiêm Nhan from Việt Nam Television during 2006-17. It tracks the career of painter Thủy, who has created various notable artworks, such as the Ceramic Road along Red River (Guinness World Record for being the largest ceramic mosaic in the world), Mirror House in downtown Hà Nội (silver trophy at the International A’ Design Awards 2018) and a mural of Vietnamese trees and flowers at Đà Nẵng International Airport (a bronze at the 10th International Design Awards in Los Angeles, US). … [Read more...] about Vietnamese documentary wins at Top Shorts film festival
Vietnamese wins Top Shorts film awards
Top Shorts' certificate of Best Trailer presented to director Nguyen Nghiem Nhan (Photo:topshorts.net) Hanoi (VNA) - Vietnamese film ‘Thu Thuy – Mosaic Dreams’, directed by Nguyen Nghiem Nhan, has won two awards at the Top Shorts monthly competition for April. Director Nguyen Nghiem Nhan of Vietnam Television received the “Best Trailer” tittle, while his real-life character – painter Nguyen Thu Thuy – was honoured with the “Inspiring Woman in a film” award. (Photo: topshorts.net) The documentary was filmed at different periods since 2006, following several public art projects by Thuy, which began with a mosaic road along the Red River dyke in Hanoi. The project, which aimed to decorate 6km of the cement dike protecting the city from the river, was carried out by both Vietnamese and international artists in celebration of the 1,000th anniversary of the capital. Thuy later did several other works in Truong Sa Lon island (Truong … [Read more...] about Vietnamese wins Top Shorts film awards
The Tailor wins Best Feature Film
Viet Nam News HÀ NỘI — Cô Ba Sài Gòn (The Tailor) won the Best Feature Film at the Golden Kite Awards in Hà Nội yesterday. The Tailor, which beat other 13 nominees, is a romantic comedy featuring the culture and lifestyle of the Saigonese as well as the history of the áo dài (Vietnamese traditional long dress). It stars Ngô Thanh Vân, Ninh Dương Lan Ngọc and veteran actresses Diễm My and People’s Artist Hồng Vân and is directed by young talents Lộc Trần and Kay Nguyễn. It includes 3D effects with a soundtrack by popular singers and pop bands. “On behalf of the film crew who can not be here as they are all busy for another project in Phan Rang, I am really honoured to receive the award. Our film delivers a message about áo dài, traditional clothes of Việt Nam. The film has been brought and screened abroad and also received great … [Read more...] about The Tailor wins Best Feature Film