Chuck Kuhn's Asia in Photos: movies

Sunday, July 14, 2013

Copyright issues with 3 Vietnam Websites

The US Motion Picture Association has asked the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism to deal with three websites that violated US copyright regulations.

Phim47.com infringes film copyrights

Upon receiving the request, the ministry has quickly inspected websites 1. http://phim47.com, 2. http://v1vn.com and 3. http://pub.vn.
Nguyen Huu Minh, owner of phim47 and Nguyen Van Chung, owner of v1vn all rented space in which to store their hardware and data. Pub.vn was established in 2010 by Trinh Anh Tuan, who bought the domain from P.A Vietnam Company.
Owners of phim47 and v1vn downloaded movies then uploaded them onto their websites so people were able watch them online at no charge.
Pub.vn, also downloaded movies via torrent sites free of charge, and they then charged online viewers VND2,000 per movie.
“We will apply the fines and ask the website owners to remove all of the movies deemed to be in violation of the regulations, in accordance with regulation 47 regarding copyright infringement.”said Vu Xuan Thanh, inspector from the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism. “We handled the cases upon receiving a civil complaint,” he added, “however, if MPA, or any other foreign organisation, brings the case to court, the result could be different.”
The fine for infringement is around VND50-100 million (USD2,400-4,800).

Wednesday, September 8, 2010

Fool for Love Vietnam comedy film will be screened in 5 US cities

“De Mai Tinh” (Fool for Love), the most recognizable comedy from Vietnam this year will be screened in five cities in the US starting on September 10.

VietNamNet Bridge – “De Mai Tinh” (Fool for Love), the most recognizable comedy from Vietnam this year will be screened in five cities in the US starting on September 10.

International experts work with Vietnamese film crews

A scene from “Fool for Love”

Wave Releasing will distribute the movie in cities that have large Vietnamese communities, including Orange County and San Jose in California, Houston and Dallas in Texas, Atlanta, Georgia, and Washington, D.C.

Introduced in Vietnam on April 23, “Fool for Love” opened the first summer film season in Vietnam and was one of the most financially successful films in Vietnam.

“Fool for Love” has garnered high praise from critics and audience alike. The story follows a captivating tale of humor, trial, and love between a hotel clerk Dung (Dustin Nguyen) and a beautiful lounge singer Mai (Kathy Uyen). His love causes him to leave his job to chase after her affections, only to find her involved with a wealthy real-estate mogul. Mai becomes torn between Dung and her professional career, which depends on her relationship with the wealthy real-estate mogul.

Kathy Uyen and Dustin Nguyen in “Fool for Love”

Comedy ensues as the penniless clerk, in order to finance his love, is forced to shack up with a very rich but very gay businessman looking for a male companion. Now Dung and Mai are faced with a true test of faith as he continues his pursuit of Mai, while Mai struggles to choose between true love or a stable future with the real estate mogul. Dung and Mai’s journey is filled with humor and unexpected twists, causing the audience to wonder, ‘Will their love prevail?’

Some scenes from “Fool for Love”:

They say "

“I can’t say what made me fall in love with Vietnam - that a woman’s voice can drug you; that everything is so intense. The colors, the taste, even the rain. Nothing like the filthy rain in London. They say whatever you’re looking for, you will find here. They say you come to Vietnam and you understand a lot in a few minutes, but the rest has got to be lived. The smell: that’s the first thing that hits you, promising everything in exchange for your soul. And the heat. Your shirt is straightaway a rag. You can hardly remember your name, or what you came to escape from. But at night, there’s a breeze. The river is beautiful. You could be forgiven for thinking there was no war; that the gunshots were fireworks; that only pleasure matters. A pipe of opium, or the touch of a girl who might tell you she loves you. And then, something happens, as you knew it would. And nothing can ever be the same again.”
― Graham Greene, The Quiet American

Tips on Travel to Vietnam

It's always warm in Southeast Asia apart from high mountains, so leave the heavy clothing at home. Cotton and breathable fabrics are always better than synthetics -- although cotton does wrinkle a lot when traveling! December through April is roughly the dry season in that region, although it can still rain a little. December is a good time to go in terms of temperature -- cooler than in the humid summertime. Either way, wearing more clothing (shirt sleeves and long pants) is always more respectful towards the Asian culture, especially when visiting temples and rural areas.