The film Cha cong con (Father and Son) has beaten out two other nominees to attempt to represent Vietnamese cinema at the 2018 Oscars and is being submitted to the award ceremony’s qualifying round.

The director Luong Dinh Dung said he is filled with happiness
and hopes his film will serve its mission well.
"We are planning a number of screenings for
local audiences at schools and cinemas,” Dung said adding that he will continue
making more art films.
Cha cong con was adapted from a short story
of the same name written by Dung in 1995.
The main character in the movie is a little
boy named Ca. He lives with his blind father, who has spent his entire life by
the river. Ca’s world revolves around the river and everything associated with
it.
Ca dreams of touching the clouds and of
visiting the fairy tale lands described by his father. However, the boy suffers
from an incurable disease and cannot wait for the day his father has enough
money to take him to the doctor.
The
film won the Best Cinematography award at the 17th Milano International Film
Festival, Best Foreign Feature and Special Jury Award for Outstanding
Cinematography at the 26th Arizona International Film Festival, and Indie
Spirit Best Storyline award at the 15th Boston International Film Festival.
Source: VOV
Gongs hold a special place in the cultural and spiritual life of the Muong ethnic people in Hoa Binh province. More than musical instruments, they are an indispensable part of community rituals and collective memory, echoing through generations as a spiritual thread linking the past, present, and future.
Preserving and promoting the cultural values of the Muong ethnic group has become an urgent task in the current context, as many traditional values face the risk of fading away. This effort requires not only protecting the cultural identity but also eliminating outdated customs and developing a modern cultural lifestyle, contributing to sustainable values for the Muong community in Hoa Binh province.
The Muong ethnic culture, deeply rooted in Vietnam’s mountainous north, continues to be preserved and revitalised by dedicated individuals and communities determined to safeguard their ancestral identity.
The Muong group is one of the largest ethnic minorities in Vietnam, primarily found in Hoa Binh province. The Muong people in Hoa Binh boast a rich and diverse cultural treasure that reflects the unique identity of this ethnic group. Accounting for over 63% of the province's population, they have created and preserved numerous distinctive cultural values, contributing to their unique identity. Their cultural heritage is an invaluable asset, at the heart of their national identity, and represents a vibrant spiritual life that must be preserved and promoted in today’s modern world.
For generations, the ethnic communities of Hoa Binh province, particularly the Muong people, have preserved vibrant festivals deeply intertwined with the region’s geography, nature, and social traditions. These celebrations enrich Hoa Binh’s spiritual life and cultural identity, reflecting both folk beliefs and the intermingling of ethnic customs. Many of these festivals have endured the test of time, passed down through generations and continuing to thrive today. Among them, the Khai Ha (Going Down to the Field) festival stands out as one of the most significant events of the Muong ethnic group.
Muong calendar, known as sach doi, is an ancient folk knowledge system developed through observations of the movement of the pleiades star. This unique calendar consists of 12 bamboo sticks, each representing a lunar month. Specific days within each month are marked with distinct symbols, guiding locals in determining auspicious and inauspicious days for important activities.