LookAtVietnam – There will not be many choices for the sole Vietnamese entry to the Academy Awards Best Foreign Language Film 2010 due to strict entry regulations

Up in smoke: A scene from Dung Dot (Don’t Burn It), which is considered one of the most likely candidates to be selected as the sole Vietnamese entry to the Academy Awards Best Foreign Language Film 2010.

Entries for the upcoming March awards should contain English subtitles and meet certain technical requirements. They should have been shown on commercial screens for at least seven consecutive days between October 1, 2008 and September 30, 2009.

According to Lan, many Vietnamese films that could be considered for this year’s selection, but they do not meet the strict requirements.

Cu va Chim Se Se

(Owl and Sparrow), which won the Journalist Prize at the Viet Nam Cinema Association’s 2008 Golden Kite, is not eligible because it was produced in 2007 and was only screened for free during the 2009 Golden Kite event. The film has won seven international film festival awards.

Trang Noi Day Gieng

(Moon at the Bottom of the Well), which won the 2009 Silver Kite and earned actress Hong Anh the Best Actress Award at the Dubai International Film Festival last December, was only screened for free at the 2009 Golden Kite event and the Francophonie Film Festival in HCM City in March.

Choi Voi

(Lonely) has little chance to be selected because it is on reserve for its global debut at the Venice Film Festival, which will be held from September 2 to 12. Little time will be left after the event for the film to be screened commercially in Viet Nam before the Academy Award’s October 1st deadline. A source from the Thien Ngan Film Company revealed that the company had no plans to release the film before next April.

However, the film will still have the opportunity to participate in other film festivals, such as those in Venice, Toronto, Vancouver and London.

According to actor and producer Johnny Tri Nguyen, Bay Rong (Dragon Trap), an action film by Chanh Phuong Film Company, will be available during this year’s Christmas season, leaving it almost no chance to be selected.

Other potential candidates include: Chuyen Tinh Xa Xu (Love Story Overseas): Dep Tung Centimet (Beautiful to the Last Centimetre); Giai Cuu Than Chet (Saving the Angel of Death); Huyen Thoai Bat Tu (Eternal Legendary); and Dung Dot (Don’t Burn It).

Among them, Huyen Thoai Bat Tu is considered the best, with six 2009 Golden Kite prizes to its name. However, many film critics seem to prefer Dung Dot due to its educational content on Vietnamese youth during the American War.

Huyen Thoai Bat Tu

and Dung Dot are currently considered as the most potential candidates for selection.

“Despite the rather limited time, it is still too soon to comment on the candidates,” Lan said. “Once we receive an official invitation, we will forward it to film companies throughout the country and wait for them to send candidates. Only then can we start the selection process.”

The 82nd Oscars are planned to take place at the Kodak Theatre in Los Angeles on March 7, 2010, one month after the nominations are announced.

The Best Foreign Film category, which began in 1947, has been won by an Asian country only five times. At the 81st Academy Awards in March, Japan’s Departures won the prize. Italy claims the most wins with ten Oscar statues.

VietNamNet/Viet Nam News