Nov
13
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Local films lost in translation
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VietNamNet Bridge – As a film fan I have always loved going to the cinema to enjoy the big-screen experience. During a year I spent living in Hue, where there is no movie theatre, this was one of the few things I sorely missed.
One by one the new film releases I wanted to see came and went, and I missed the cinematic experience that TV or DVD just can't quite match.
I have since made up for lost time after recently moving to Ha Noi, where I am spoilt for choice with the number of cinemas on offer.
Last weekend I went to see Skyfall, the latest in the James Bond franchise. A new Bond film was always something of an event when growing up in England, and I was delighted to get the chance to see it here.
While me and my friends were waiting for the screening, I started looking at the posters and video screens trailing new releases. A film called Scandal caught my eye. From the accompanying trailer it looked like well-made Vietnamese take on the thriller genre. I asked my friend about it and he said he had seen and enjoyed it, but I would not be able to go as no subtitles were provided.
It dawned on me that I had seen very few Vietnamese films during my time in the country. Living in Hue this was not so surprising, but some quick research revealed that across the country there are very few new domestic releases every year, and most do not come with English subtitles. Cinemas predominantly show American films with Vietnamese subtitles.
I can't help but think this is a shame, as cinema is perhaps the most accessible medium for non-fluent Vietnamese speakers to learn something about the country and its people.
One of the things I have tried to do in the two years I have spent in Viet Nam is to embrace the culture as much as possible. I have listened to Vietnamese music (Trinh Cong Son being a particular favourite), read Vietnamese folk tales (translated into English, luckily), watched traditional Vietnamese dance and been to Vietnamese art exhibitions.
I decided it was about time to put right my lack of local film knowledge, and so I asked some Vietnamese friends for their recommendations. Of their choices, I did manage to track down a number that were released a while ago and have since been provided with English subtitles.
I began my film marathon not knowing quite what to expect. What I found left me extremely impressed.
In all the films I saw the production values are high, the writing is good and the acting is strong and believable (something I think is somewhat lacking in the Vietnamese TV dramas I have seen).
Over the course of the week I have enjoyed Tran Anh Hung's impressive Viet Nam-set trilogy, The Scent of Green Papaya (an exotic and beautifully shot story of childhood), Cyclo (a gritty but artistic depiction of Viet Nam's underworld) and The Vertical Ray of the Sun (a subtle family saga).
I followed this with Luu Huynh's The Girl in the White Silk Dress – one of the most expensive Vietnamese films ever made – which is a haunting and symbolic take on the role of women during French colonial rule, and Tony Bui's Three Seasons (co-starring Harvey Keitel), a thought-provoking look of Viet Nam as it modernises.
Finally I watched Charlie Nguyen's The Rebel – a film that action fans will undoubtedly enjoy – a martial arts epic (and rather revisionist take on the end of French colonialism) where the fight scenes easily rival any Hollywood release.
These films were all directed by oversea Vietnamese who received filmmaking training in America and Europe, and have been heavily influenced by the filmmaking styles of these regions. While I really enjoyed these films and appreciated their unique and interesting insights, I would like to be able to see more films made by Viet Nam-based filmmakers. They have stories to tell as well, and need to find a voice.
Obviously, the movie industry is a largely money-oriented business all across the world. It is clear that the international market for Vietnamese produced films is very small. There is probably little financial incentive for time and money to be spent inserting English subtitles and spending advertising money to attract a more international audience for these releases.
However, as a way of making Vietnamese culture that little bit more accessible, I think it would be a worthwhile endeavour, and would attract a small but dedicated audience.
Foreign language films are growing in popularity, and while many lazy viewers still get put off by subtitles and would rather wait for an English language remake (where what made the original so special is almost always lost in translation), there are still plenty left who embrace the chance to enjoy them.
I am sure that these films can tell a lot about Viet Nam's past, present and future. Cinema has the power to transcend cultural barriers and share stories, and it is a shame that currently it is difficult for interested foreigners to enjoy these films due to a simple lack of subtitles.
So, while I will always be excited by a new Bond film and will continue to enjoy new Hollywood blockbusters while I am here, it would be nice every so often to go to the cinema for something with a little more local flavour.
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