Sep
28
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Overseas auctions of Vietnam's antiques: good and bad
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VietNamNet Bridge – Antiques collected from wrecks in the sea of Vietnam have been auctioned overseas for several times. Along with profit, Vietnamese specialists also learned expensive experience.
Quang Ngai blockades the shipwreck with 500-year-old antiques
Shipwreck yields treasures dating from 14th century
Treasures in Ca Mau shipwreck (photo)
Antiques collected from a sunken ship in Binh Chau commune, Quang Ngai province.
Artifacts from shipwrecks: magnets to the world
Seabed Exploration Company has determined that at least 40 ancient wrecks in the sea of Vietnam are available for salvage and excavation.
This company is "anxious" when treasures of antiques, mainly oriental porcelain are being in the bottom of the ocean, while these antiques are very attractive at international auction houses.
In addition, through this huge volume of antiques, historical mysteries of trade are gradually revealed. The five ancient wrecks in the waters of Vietnam, containing hundreds of thousands of Chinese, Thai, Vietnamese porcelain have contributed to re-draw the ceramic road journey in the East Sea, with Vietnam as one of the links.
For a long period, Vietnam was considered as a secondary link, an intermediate stage of this journey, and its ceramics were undervalued compared to Chinese ceramics. However, since the shipwreck in Cu Lao Cham was excavated (1997 - 1999), international experts have had a different view about Vietnam.
More than 240,000 ceramic artifacts dating back to the 15th – 16th centuries, of which, 150,000 deep-blue glazed ceramic items are defined to come from the Chu Dau ceramic village in the northern province of Hai Duong, have made experts stunned.
They make the doubt that China was not the only producer of deep-blue and white glazed ceramic items in the past more stable because Vietnam also has a history of producing and exporting deep-blue and white enameled ceramics. This event makes the value of artifacts found in wrecks in Vietnam to rise, both literally and figuratively.
The famous auction house Sotheby's organized an auction of ancient ceramic items from the ancient ship in Cu Lao Cham in the Netherlands. After that, Christie's hold an auction of ceramic artifacts from an ancient ship in Binh Thuan in Australia.
Though it has not been excavated yet, but after experts determined that pottery items (mainly Chinese origin) of the wreck in Binh Chau commune, Quang Ngai Province, are oldest among the antiques collected from shipwrecks in Vietnam, it is predicted that the wreck will attract attention of international experts. An overseas auction of antiques from this ship may be organized.
Overseas auctions: be careful
Based on the results of two previous auctions of antiques from the ancient ships in Binh Thuan and Cu Lao Cham, one can optimistically think about the upcoming auction abroad.
In particular, after the auction in Australia, the Vietnamese delegation cheerfully announced that all 16,000 items were sold out, earning around A$1.6 million.
The antiques of the wreck in Ca Mau also brought about approximately US$3.9 million from the auction in the Netherlands.
However, Mr. Doan Anh Tuan, Director of the UNESCO Center for Heritage Conservation and Study, said that deducting taxes, travel costs, accommodations, etc., Vietnam actually earned half of the reported figures. In theory, overseas auctions of Vietnam are successful but actually the result is opposite.
Tuan suggested organizing auctions at home in order to earn more profit for the state budget and at the same time advertise for Vietnam’s culture and tourism, which overseas auctions are unlikely to do.
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Sep
28
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Khanh Ly to perform in Vietnam in December
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VietNamNet Bridge – A representative of the HCM City-based Dong Dao Night Club has confirmed that the well-known singer will perform in Vietnam.
On September 25, many newspapers reported that senior singer Khanh Ly was licenced by the Performing Arts Agency to sing in Vietnam later this year.
Specifically, she will have the opportunity to serve the domestic audience through four programs organized by the Dong Dao Entertainment Co., Ltd. in Hanoi, Danang and Ho Chi Minh City in November.
However, in the morning of September 26, some overseas sources quoted Khanh Ly as saying that from now until the Lunar New Year, she will be busy with overseas shows and she did not know about shows in Vietnam.
According to these sources, from now to the end of this year, Khanh Ly will focus on producing a CD & DVD of anthems and activities to celebrate her 50-year singing career.
VietNamNet had contacted Mr. Nguyen Ngoc Son, the owner of the Dong Dao Night Club and the Dong Dao Entertainment Co., Ltd. to verify the information.
Son confirmed that Khanh Ly – “the best female singer of Trinh Cong Son’s songs” will perform in Vietnam.
"Actually, we cannot identify the specific time yet because we have to wait for the license. If nothing changes, we will hold four shows in Hanoi, Danang and Ho Chi Minh City, as everyone has known," said Son.
Son said that the information of overseas sources is inaccurate and unreliable. And if singer Khanh Ly really made that statement, perhaps she was pressured by many causes.
According to Son, the shows will likely take place on December, not November as the local press has reported. The guest singers will be still Tuan Ngoc, Elvis Phuong and Ha Anh Tuan.
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Sep
28
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Pakistan Film Festival unspools in Ha Noi
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VietNamNet Bridge – The silver screen at Ha Noi's Cinematheque is receiving a final polish as it prepares to showcase the Pakistan Film Festival which starts tomorrow.
The critically and commercially acclaimed Pakistani feature film Bol will be presented
at the Pakistan Film Festival in Ha Noi tomorrow.
The event, hosted by the Embassy of Pakistan in Ha Noi, will kick off at 7pm with a screening of the critically and commercially acclaimed Pakistani feature film Bol.
A social drama, the movie follows a religious family battling financial difficulties and changing social attitudes, with a major plot involving the father's unwillingness to accept a hijra (transgender) son.
Released in June 2011, the 165-minute film was directed and produced by Shoaib Mansoor and was a box office smash.
It became the highest earning film in Pakistan in its first week of release, breaking all previous records.
The previous record was held by Bollywood movie My Name Is Khan, which grossed PKR 13,417 million (US$143 million) in its first week, whereas Bol took PKR 62,792 million in six days.
The Pakistani Ambassador to Viet Nam, Shahid M G Kiani said: "The movie received high reviews from critics for the excellent portrayal of a family facing various challenges and how they resolve them. I am sure you will like this film immensely."
It went on to receive the Best Hindi film award at the IRDS Film awards 2011 by the Institute for Research and Documentation in Social Sciences (IRDS).
Bol also received highly positive reviews from newspapers.
The Bollywood Hungama, a leading Bollywood entertainment website described it as: "A brilliant film embellished with bravura performances". Likewise, The Times of India, an Indian English-language daily newspaper, described the film as "topical and thought-provoking".
The festival opening ceremony takes place at 6.30pm at the Cinematheque, 22A Hai Ba Trung Street, consisting of a reception followed by the film screening.
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Vintage, high performance bikes on show
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28/09/2012 09:33:20
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German Film Festival rolls into town
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28/09/2012 09:31:49
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German Film Festival rolls into town
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28/09/2012 09:22:42
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New World Saigon Hotel hosts bridal fair
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28/09/2012 09:21:37
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UK duo performs at Lush bar
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28/09/2012 09:20:56
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Vintage, high performance bikes on show
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28/09/2012 09:19:34
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Theatre throws light on tradition
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28/09/2012 09:17:04
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R&R Tavern hosts fundraiser for orphanage
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28/09/2012 09:14:05
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Chef hosts gourmet food weekend
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28/09/2012 09:13:15
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