When Director Ngoc Dang Vu released his movie "Lost in Paradise" late last year, he knew he was not only depicting an on-screen forbidden romance, but challenging ossified Vietnamese views on homosexuality as well. Though the country has gradually grown more accepting over the years, the LGBT community in Vietnam still faces widespread discrimination. Same-sex marriage is … [Read more...] about Can an LGBT Film Help Change Attitudes About Homosexuality in Vietnam?
Entertainment
Unexpected Destiny: Infamous Vietnamese Poem Meets Classic Western Choreography
“The Tale of Kieu” is an epic Vietnamese poem about the tragic life of Thuy Kieu, a talented, young woman who sacrificed herself to save her family by marrying a middle-aged man only to be sold into prostitution by him instead. Based on this sorrowful story, Vietnamese-French composer Nguyen Thien Dao and the Vietnam Opera Ballet Theatre have created an 80-minute contemporary … [Read more...] about Unexpected Destiny: Infamous Vietnamese Poem Meets Classic Western Choreography
Model Minority: Into the Lives of VietAm Models
Asian Americans have the label "model minority" for good reason. We work hard, persist, and beat everyone at everything (or try to). Our Tiger parents often came to America with nothing, but in a few years time, they established a home with educated children and a stable lifestyle. Seeing that Asian Americans succeed in so many things - e.g. medicine, law, science, business, … [Read more...] about Model Minority: Into the Lives of VietAm Models
Video Monday: Livecapping UFC 139, Cung Le’s match with Wanderlei Silva
November 19, 2011, marked UFC 139 co-event fight between Cung Le versus Wanderlei Silva. The event was hosted at the “Octagon” in San Jose, CA. A brief background about Cung Le: Cung Le, 39 year old Vietnamese American middleweight fighter and part-time movie star, focuses on San Shou, a Chinese kickboxing style that incorporates a series of kicks and throws. His strength … [Read more...] about Video Monday: Livecapping UFC 139, Cung Le’s match with Wanderlei Silva
Saigon Electric, Vietnam’s First Hip-Hop Movie
What happens when you put together underground dance battles and teenage romance and set them in the bustling atmosphere of one of Vietnam’s busiest metropolis? You get, Saigon Electric (alternatively known as "Saigon Yo!") a dynamic film featuring the lifestyle of break-dancers within the Vietnamese youth culture. Though the film may be labeled as the Vietnamese version of … [Read more...] about Saigon Electric, Vietnam’s First Hip-Hop Movie