A still cut from the Vietnamese film “Story of Pao" by director Ngo Quang Hai. London (VNA) - Vietnamese film “Story of Pao” by director NgoQuang Hai will be shown at the ASEAN Film Festival 2024 which opened in Londonon the night of April 22.
An event organised by the ASEAN LondonCommittee (ALC), the festival is taking place from April 22-27 at the School ofOriental and American Studies (SOAS) University of London, drawing interestfrom British and international audience.
The festival will show films from 10 member states of the Association ofSoutheast Asia Nations (ASEAN), namely Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao,Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. Vietnam’sStory of Pao will be screened on April 26.
Vietnamese Deputy Ambassador to the UKTo Minh Thu said the ASEAN Film Festival 2024 is a joint effort of the 10 ASEANdiplomatic missions in London, including the Vietnamese Embassy in the UK, topromote the image of the countries, peoples, cultures and tourism of ASEAN inthe UK.
She said the Embassy of Vietnam in theUK and the Vietnam Film Institute under the Ministry of Culture, Sports andTourism, have jointly introduced at the festival Story of Pao, a film bydirector Ngo Quang Hai, which vividly portrays the life of people in theNorthwest region, their aspiration for beauty, freedom and happiness, throughwhich the beauty of the country, people and culture of Vietnam is revealed.
Speaking to Vietnam News Agency (VNA)correspondent in the UK at the opening ceremony, Chair of the Festival OrganisingCommittee, Thai Ambassador to the UK Thani Thongphakdi said it is thesecond time ALC has organised the ASEAN Film Festival after the first in 2019.The festival is one of ALC’s activities to raise ASEAN's profile in the UK,introducing the Association’s creative industry, raising more awareness aboutASEAN among the people in the UK and promoting closer people-to-people links.
Ambassador Thongphakdi was delightedthat all 10 member countries will be showing their very best films, which willhighlight the strengths and creativity of their countries, bringing ASEAN closerto the UK public and showing them what the regional grouping has to offer.
Deputy Head of the South East AsiaDepartment, Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office, Julia Sutherland, toldVNA correspondent in the UK that the event is a great initiative by the ASEANembassies in London, given cultural diplomacy is a very important part of whatembassies do. This is a great chance for the UK community to learn about ASEANand its member countries through some great movies, she said, adding a lot ofpeople, including herself, love going to see all films at this festival.
The opening ceremony was followed bythe screening of Thailand’s film A time to fly. Films from other countries willbe shown throughout the week./.
