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Vietnam’s cinema in 2007 : no big changes

Mr. Tr?n Luân Kim, a Representative and Chairman of the Vietnamese Cinema Association, thus commented on Vietnamese cinema in an interview with the newspaper Lao Ð?ng (Labour) on 12/18.

How many words do we need to use in order to describe Vietnamese cinema in 2006 ?

Perhaps 4: overcome difficulties, reflect, and hope. Let me explain myself. In 2006, several difficulties were basically solved. For example, some production companies upgraded their equipment; government production investment, which is about 15 billion dong, was stable; international collaboration expanded; and several Vietnamese films participated in international film festivals. However, we are still facing many challenges. First, Vietnamese cinema is moving ahead at too slow a pace to suit the ravenous demand of cinema goers. Second, we need many more people working in the cinema industry than we have now. Third, there is no change in management and operation at government production companies.

These companies are still trying to unknot a mess of advantages and difficulties woven together. Meanwhile, many private production companies have found their own way to develop. For instance, they make movies suitable to the needs and tastes of movie watchers, most of which are young people, as well as collaborate with foreign partners.

Are you worried by the fact that in 2006, private production companies did not produce as many films as they had done one or two years ago? If this condition continues, does it mean that our effort to improve the Vietnamese cinema industry is failing ?

We have 42 private production companies in Vietnam, more than 30 of which are in HCM City. Not all of these companies are currently operating, which is normal. It’s similar to the fact that only a few of the thousands of businesses out there are working well. Since we started to improve the industry, the Vietnamese Cinema Association has always seen private production companies as the key forces, especially in the future. The association will work with responsible authorities to propose plans to support these private production companies. These plans will be part of the overall effort to improve Vietnamese cinema. The important thing is to provide the film industry, not just each production company, with more professionals. The first step toward this goal is to improve training quality at the two universities of cinema and theatre in Hanoi and HCM City.

When I worked with the head of the Ministry of Culture and Information, Mr. Lê Doãn H?p, in November, I proposed that Vietnam should send a team of 300 people abroad to learn how to make movies. With this plan, perhaps in 5 to 7 years, we will have completely new professionals. Private production companies will certainly hire foreigners, which is acceptable. Yet, I think the outsourcing shouldn’t go too far. After watching many foreign films during recent international film festivals in Hanoi and HCM City, the most recent of which was the Korean Movie Week in Vietnam (12/08-12/17), many audiences asked, “Why can’t Vietnamese producers make movies at reasonable costs and with subject matter close to everyday life?” We all know these limits in Vietnamese films, of course. One answer is simply the lack of talents. Another answer is taste. If producers are bent on making movies which can show some individual greatness and are totally disconnected from simple, down-to-earth everyday life, then perhaps they are labouring under a misapprehension about taste because it won’t bring them audiences.

Considering the state of Vietnamese cinema in 2006, do you have any comment on Vietnamese cinema in 2007 ?

In 2007, Vietnamese cinema will undergo no great transformation or change. It is simply because our management and human resources are still the same. However, there may be two new trends: in 2007, some government production companies will go partly private; and there will be more partnerships with foreign companies, especially with Korea and China.

In my opinion, if we want to improve quickly in order to join in the international film market, we should work with Americans. We now have favourable conditions for partnerships with Americans: We are more open-minded, the Americans are starting to understand us and to realise Vietnam is a rich source of inspiration and stories for their movies. In short, we don’t need to be pessimistic. Yet, there is nothing to make us optimistic yet.

Lao Ð?ng - December 22, 2006.