(Van Lang - June 16, 2020) – On 16/05/2020 at the Alliance of Arts and Literature Associations of Ho Chi Minh City’s Head Office, Director Phan Thi Nhu Loan – the K20 alumni of Van Lang University’s Interactive Media Graphics program has received the Vietnam Cinema Association’s Golden Kite Awards 2020 for best short film category – “Ba oi (Grandma!)”.
Golden Kite Award Ceremony 2019 is an annually event organized by the Vietnam Cinema Association in order to honor the most outstanding works and individuals of Vietnam’s filmmaking industry throughout that year.
In the Golden Kite Award 2020, there are 16 feature films, 13 TV series, 46 documentaries, 17 animated films, 6 researching projects, and 17 short films, which were sent in from all around Vietnam. Overtaking other candidates from the same category, Pham Thi Nhu Loan’s “Ba oi” along with 2 other works have been honored in Golden Kite Award 2020’s best short films category.
As an act of honor, Van Lang University would like to recite Pham Thi Nhu Loan’s words after receiving the Certificate of Achievement at Golden Kite Award 2020.
Official poster of “Ba oi” short film by Director Pham Thi Nhu Loan
“Story is king”
“Ba oi” was Nhu Loan’s final major project. This script, which was inspired by a real story mixing with her very own passion, had made up a piece of art about familyhood. That was an ordinary afternoon in her 30-sqm apartment. Out of the blue, her emotion just became overwhelmed, and thanks to that, she had completed the draft script within just 10 minutes.
“To me, whether it is a movie or an animated film, story is definitely the core element. “Story is king”, and up until now, it is still my favorite motto and I always spend a lot of time to “ponder” the story before starting any project” – said Nhu Loan.
From private university’s “amateur film project” to prestigious Golden Kite Award
“Under the guidance of professor Nguyen Quoc Viet, I had started to study further about Golden Kite Award – a reputable award aimed by most of the filmmakers.”
Up to now, the Golden Kite Award’s committee only accepts works of students from universities such as the University of Theatre and Cinema HCMC – the only university in the Southern region, recognized for the methodical training of filmmaking. Therefore, the contest committee was amazed by a work sent by Van Lang University’s alumni, because it was the first of its kind. The committee did not even know that Van Lang University had provided Interactive Media Graphics program, which offered the students with knowledge and skills to generate such professional graphic films.
Consequently, the author had faced with plenty of barriers in administration procedures, certifications from Van Lang University in order to send the work in. She herself was very surprised when receiving the committee’s approval to be evaluated and recognized by professionals. As one of the avocational “directors”, she broke into tears knowing her work was honored in the ceremony along with movies from other well-known directors nationwide.
The most valuable thing to Nhu Loan is that although this is not exceptional work, her achievement would reshape the Golden Kite Award’s committee and the Vietnam Cinema Association’s prejudice about private universities’ education, especially the Interactive Media Graphics program provided by Van Lang University.
The first to breakthrough
As the first graduated class of Van Lang University’s Interactive Media Graphics program, Nhu Loan is grateful for the facilitation from the Faculty of Industrial Design. She was provided with opportunities to acquire knowledges and develop her career.
“In 2014, which is the milestone for the foundation of Interactive Media Graphics program, Van Lang University’s Faculty of Industrial Design had organized a new program introducing session for Design oriented students. Since that day, I had taken this opportunity in mind and considered the competitive advantages when the students had full approach to graphic design software and facilities… However, the extension in syllabus led to an increase in tuition. At that time, Nhu Loan decided to take a leave because of financial difficulties.
Fortunately, thanks to my dedicated and caring professor, I could continue my study. From the very bottom of my heart, I had great gratitude toward MA. Nguyen Dac Thai and the Faculty of Industrial Design as well as Van Lang University for always listening and devoting the bests for the students.
This is the preliminary versions when I worked on the characters rigging in “Ba oi” film. It was quite undone, thus it broke all the time. I would suggest you to make backup character rig as many as you could.
One of the most difficult and time-consuming tasks during the making of “Ba oi” movie was to create such detailed family’s items like these.
At the Golden Kite Award 2020, I was fortunate to meet my idol – Kieu Minh Tuan, who won the best main actor award for Cinematic movie category. Thanks to it, I became even more confident that if you dared to experience, to devote yourself, you would eventually reap ripe fruits.
Nhu Loan also would like to give you an advice: “Whenever you have your mind tangled, just speak to any of your professor. He or she would understand what you need and help you uncover the best solutions. If I had not shared my difficulties with my professor, I would not have achieved such success today. I would like to dedicate my greatest appreciation to my professors, to the Faculty of Industrial Design and to Van Lang University.”
Phan Thị Như Loan
K20 alumni of Interactive Media Graphics Program
Translated by: Pham Vu Thien An