Taking indigenous culture as the core

Developing the cultural industry (CNVH) is based on local culture. If Europe and America use global culture, China uses local culture to develop. Audiences will find global messages such as gender equality, personal freedom, the environment, and social issues in European and American cultural events, while local cultural and historical messages are prominent in mass events in China.

Must rely on culture

Having spent more than 10 years wandering around China, I realized that China does not build a national culture but rather a local culture. Each province has its own unique cultural programs that bear the imprint of local culture. Meanwhile, we are still trying to build a macro culture while neglecting local resources.

Director Pham Hoang Nam

When a province is included in a development strategy (from tourism, economy to culture), not only the authorities but also the people involved from directors, scriptwriters, prop makers... all join hands to contribute to build a truly magnificent program, with enough of an impression to reach the world. The cooperation of everyone for a common goal always has a power that you cannot imagine and the proof is a series of Chinese performing arts programs that make tourists "dizzy" when they visit. That is what we must learn if we really want to contribute to the development of Vietnam's cultural industry.

In the process of finding partners to build cultural art programs with special characteristics for localities, I have not yet found a consensus. Many people are not patient enough to build solid foundations before reaping sweet fruits. Cultural industry must first rely on culture, which is the indigenous and unique culture of a country, ethnic group, region and individual. It is necessary to find and build a symbol for the national cultural brand, then use "industry" - that is, systematic and professional - to operate.

I often hear someone say that Vietnam only needs 5-7 more years to have a superior industrial culture. To me, that is optimistic but somewhat subjective. Because it cannot take only 5-7 years to build a generation of talent that can turn the situation around. To build an advanced industrial culture, a long-term and synchronous vision is needed, not a quick fix or shortcut.

The concept of "edutainment"

In 2005, I was sent to Hollywood to study as an auditor. There, I witnessed Korean artists coming to Hollywood to study formally. Not only directors, screenwriters... but all members of the film crew were sent to the US for formal training. Therefore, Korea has had golden generations of cinema with blockbuster works. Korea has spent 20-30 years training its talents by sending them to the US to attend specialized training courses like this.

Northwest Festival “Dance in the Clouds”. (Photo provided by director Pham Hoang Nam)

I often mention the concept of "edutainment" in my speeches because I believe that education is the core element to create a complete entertainment industry. Beauty governs everything in this world. It is not just aesthetic beauty but beauty that comes from understanding, knowledge, cognition and perception.

If the audience is educated in the basic standards of art from the beginning, their perception of right and wrong will certainly be clearly formed. The audience must know where the standards of art lie, what creative limits are allowed, then the audience will know to what extent what they are receiving is valuable. When the audience knows what is right, what is wrong, what are valuable products and what are just inferior products, then surely what is received will be valuable. What is meaningless will automatically be eliminated by the audience's back.

What worries me now is that the mob mentality is dominating everything. That domination is so strong that many independent opinions are not heard or are ostracized because they are different from what the mob thinks. The young generation needs to develop independent opinions, that is what I want to mention. You need to be criticized, need to express your personal opinions in a welcoming and encouraging attitude.

We do not discuss right or wrong, but when everyone has their own opinion, a common problem will be viewed from many directions and aspects. When everyone has their own opinion based on knowledge and understanding, all problems or objections will be viewed in a diverse way and will be respected and listened to.

Not only is it necessary to build good knowledge and policies from above, the talent and knowledge of professionals, but it is also necessary to educate and guide the audience on how to enjoy and enjoy culture in a "cultural" way, even expressing and sharing opinions and emotions independently and understandingly without depending on the majority opinion, without the fear of being different and being "beaten up by a group".

How is entertainment education implemented? It is a collaboration of many agencies. Education in schools, establishment of art clubs, promotion of student talent development. We build a solid foundation first and then, when the time is right, we will think about developing strongly by accepting the achievements of the world or accepting our own creations based on a systematic training foundation.

All these things need to be planned and done thoroughly from today.

Start with small bricks

The Cloud Yard on Fansipan peak becomes the stage for "Dance on the Clouds", recreating a Northwest festival that existed 70 years ago. Visitors go back in time to find legends in the Northwest mountains and forests such as the legend of the rhododendron flower - the symbol of Hoang Lien Son mountains and forests, the passionate love story of a young man and woman, the Red Dao wedding or the emotional Muong Hoa dance. The lives of the highland people are vividly depicted in a poetic space.

The program directed by Pham Hoang Nam is performed regularly to serve tourists and has received many compliments from the audience. He confided that it is just a small brick contributing to the development of Vietnamese tourism and the building of Vietnamese culture.

T.Trang

(*) See Lao Dong Newspaper from issue dated May 27

Source: https://nld.com.vn/tim-cach-thuc-day-phat-trien-cong-nghiep-van-hoa-viet-nam-lay-van-hoa-ban-dia-lam-cot-loi-196240530205016462.htm