Hanoi (VNS/VNA) - More than four years after his passing, People’s Artist Ngo Manh Lan continues to shape the imagination of Vietnamese children, with the pioneering animator receiving the grand prize Hiep Si De Men (Cricket Knight) at the 2026 De Men Children’s Awards in Hanoi.
Poet Tran Dang Khoa, chairman of the jury, noted that the award recognised the late artist’s tireless dedication to animation, with works that have become classics, including Meo Con (The Kitten, 1965), Chuyen Ong Giong (The Story of Saint Giong, 1970), Tre Coc (Catfish and Toad, 1993) and especially his illustrations for De Men Phieu Luu Ky (Adventures of a Cricket) by writer To Hoai – arguably the most iconic Vietnamese children’s book.
Khoa recalled that the illustrations created in 1959 were beautifully printed and left a lasting impression on generations of young readers.
Painter Thanh Chuong, also a jury member, remembered Lan as not only a gifted artist but also a sincere and kind-hearted man.
“He established a distinctive style that deeply influenced generations of painters,” Chuong said.
Born in 1934 in Hanoi, Lan began studying art at 16, joining the first class of the Vietnam Fine Arts School in the Viet Bac resistance base against the French. Then he served in the army, took part in the Dien Bien Phu campaign and produced many wartime sketches.
In 1956, following the restoration of peace in North Vietnam, he was sent to study Animation Directing at the Soviet Union’s National Film University.
After graduation, he worked at the Vietnam Puppet Animation Studio, now the Vietnam Animation Studio.
His first animated film, Mot Uoc Mo (A Dream), was released in 1963. This was followed by a series of influential works including Con Sao Biet Noi (The Talking Starling), Nhung Chiec Ao Am (Warm Coats), Thach Sanh, Rung Hoa (The Flower Forest), Bo Do Nghe Noi Gian (The Angry Toolkit), Buoc Ngoat (The Turning Point) and Phep La Hoi Sinh (The Miracle of Revival).
These films combined artistic merit with educational value, becoming a source of inspiration for Vietnamese children in the 1960s.
He received several major honours, such as the Golden Lotus and Silver Lotus – the highest awards of the Vietnam Film Festival – as well as jury commendations.
One of his most acclaimed works was Meo Con (The Kitten). The film was selected to compete at the 1966 Romania International Film Festival, where it won the Silver Pelican Award.
Lan illustrated Adventures of a Cricket three times: first in 1959 for the Russian translation published in the Soviet Union, then in 1972 with a more realistic version that became familiar to generations of Vietnamese children, and again in 1989 for a new edition.
He was named People’s Artist in 1997 and received the State Prize for Literature and Arts in 2007.
Alongside the grand prize awarded to Lan, six Cricket Aspiration Awards were also presented. These included 100 Cai Chan (100 Legs), a story by Nguyen Ngoc Thuan from Tre Publishing House; Ba Noi Ky La Nhut The Gian (The Most Extraordinary Grandma in the World), a manuscript by Nguyen Thi Nhu Hien; and Vietnam Qua Net Ve Cua Hai Nam (Vietnam Through the Brushstrokes of Hai Nam), paintings by Nguyen Dang Hai Nam, aged 16.
Other winners included Chu Robot Tuong Minh La Nguoi (The Robot Who Thought He Was Human), a story by Le Anh Vinh from Kim Dong Publishing House; the animated series Wolfoo and its creative ecosystem (produced by Sconnect Vietnam); and Yersin – Khuc Hat Ca Ong (Yersin – The Whale Song), a comic by Ta Huy Long from Kim Dong Publishing House.
Four Jury Awards were also given: Bac Sach Bụng To (Uncle Book with the Big Belly), a poetry manuscript by Vu Ngoc Diep, aged 11; Tieng Noi Dai Duong (The Voice of the Ocean), paintings by Nguyen Minh Quan, aged 11; Nhung Cau Chuyen Ve Cong Tu Mo Mong and Chum Tac Pham Ve Chu Meo (Stories of the Dreamy Young Gentleman and A Collection of Tales about the Cat), two comic manuscripts by Le Nhe Uyen, aged 10; and the musical Phep Mau Cua Kurt (Kurt’s Miracle), produced by STARLAB Academy.
Established in 2020 by The Thao & Van Hoa (Sport & Culture) newspaper, the De Men Children’s Awards encourage artistic creation and performance by children or for children, with entries spanning literature, cinema, music, fine arts, theatre, photography and comics.
Since its inception, the De Men Awards have celebrated outstanding contributions to children’s literature and art. In 2023, writer Tran Duc Tien received the title for his children’s story collection Alo!... Cau Day A? (Hello!... Is That You?).
The following year, author Ly Lan was recognised for Tu Truyen Mot Con Heo (Autobiography of a Pig). Most recently, in 2025, musician Pham Tuyen was honoured as Cricket Knight for more than five decades of dedication to children’s songs./.
De Men Children’s Awards spread vitality of children’s literature, arts
In its seventh season, De Men continues to affirm its openness by moving beyond the traditional boundaries of literature. The inclusion of the musical “Phep mau cua Kurt” (Kurt’s miracle), the Wolfoo animated series and a digital creative ecosystem among the top 10 finalists reflects the awards’ growing engagement with contemporary creative life and their expansion into theatre, cinema, animation and digital platforms.
