Vietnam serial wins Tokyo Int'l Drama Festival award

Vietnamese TV serial Chieu ngang qua pho cu (Walking on Old Street in the Afternoon) has been announced as the winner of Special Awards for Foreign Drama at the 11th International Drama Festival in Tokyo, Japan.

A scene in the film Chieu Ngang Qua Pho Cu (Walking on Old Street in the Afternoon) Photo courtesy of VFC)

Director Trinh Le Phong and leading actress Nguyen Minh Trang will represent the film crew to receive the honour at the awards ceremony held on October 26 in Tokyo.

Produced by the Vietnam Television Film Centre (VFC), the serial was screened domestically in late 2016. It tells the story of a family living in Hanoi’s Old Quarter, and reflects on how socioeconomic changes have created a generational divide and altered family relationships.

When the siblings grow up and have their own families, they become selfish and conflicts over financial interests separate the family members.

Director Phong said he and all members of the film crew felt happy and proud when they received news of the award, which they shared with friends on Facebook.

“It’s not only a film, it’s a story of a family in Hanoi. It’s such a universal theme that each one of us can find a part of our family,” Phong said.

The drama was nominated for the Best TV Serial at VTV Awards 2017, a domestic award, but didn’t receive the prize.

Phong said it’s common for a film that loses out in one competition to succeed in another.

“I don’t think much about it,” he said. “I just focus on filmmaking and try to do the best.”

Previously, TV serial Chay an (Obstructing justice with bribery), another work produced by VFC, also received the Special Award for Foreign Drama at the first Tokyo International Drama Festival.

Founded in 2008, the Tokyo International Drama Festival recognises excellent dramas produced in Japan to promote outstanding dramas from Japan to an international audience. The Special Award for Foreign Drama is intended to enhance cultural understanding and business partnerships.

(Source: VNA)