'I see yellow flowers on green grass' suggests promoting tourism through film

Within the framework of the 19th Vietnam Film Festival, the workshop "Affirming the position of Vietnamese films" emphasized promoting tourism through feature films.

The seminar took place on the morning of December 2 in Ho Chi Minh City. In his speech, Mr. Nguyen Thien Phuc, director of a travel company, affirmed that the number of foreign tourists would increase significantly if more directors put the country's image on film. Mr. Phuc cited evidence that after the film I See Yellow Flowers on the Green Grass, the number of tourists flocking to Phu Yen increased dramatically. "Their purpose is to see the beautiful scenes in the film with their own eyes. That is a way to stimulate people's demand for tourism and relaxation," the director said.

The phenomenon of I See Yellow Flowers on the Green Grass is not unique, but is most evident in modern times. Previously, when the film Pao's Story was released in theaters and shown on television, Ha Giang gradually became a destination for many domestic and foreign tourists. Or the three films Indochina, The Lover and Dien Bien Phu also attracted foreign tourists to Vietnam, increasing from 92,000 to more than one million people in the period 1992-1994, of which French tourists accounted for the majority.

From the results of this research, tourism industry representatives said they are willing to cooperate and support the Cinema Department to promote the country's image in upcoming film projects.

After the movie "I see yellow flowers on green grass", the number of tourists flocking to Phu Yen increased dramatically.

Responding to Mr. Phuc, Ms. Ngo Phuong Lan - Director of the Department of Cinema - affirmed that from 2016, the Department will focus on producing films related to tourism promotion. "We aim to build the image of the country as a brand through movies," Ms. Ngo Phuong Lan said.

Promoting the country's image through films is one of many goals to affirm the position of Vietnamese films in the region and the world.Regarding this issue, many delegates pointed out limitations in production.

Ms. Nguyen The Thanh - former Deputy Director of the Department of Culture and Sports of Ho Chi Minh City - affirmed that in order to bring Vietnamese films to international competitions, filmmakers must first convince domestic audiences. "Before creating an international brand, Vietnamese films must create a national brand by convincing domestic audiences. This is determined by the quality of the work itself," Ms. The Thanh said.

Speaking more about the national brand of Vietnamese films, People's Artist Luong Duc - who has been involved in documentary films for many years - said that for a long time, the Department of Cinema has neglected the field of scientific documentaries and animated films, although this genre is very useful when included in visual teaching curricula for students. Another delegate said that movies only target urban audiences, ignoring the rural market with more than 70% of the country's population.

Members of the three juries of the 19th Vietnam Film Festival. Photo: Gia Tien.

Answering this question, Ms. Ngo Phuong Lan affirmed that the Department of Cinema always encourages documentary films in festivals. "The sad thing is that the number of people pursuing documentary and scientific genres is decreasing. Almost every film festival has less than 10 films competing for awards," the Director said.

On December 3, the conference continued to discuss issues related to the development and integration of Vietnamese cinema with the region and the world. Representatives from several countries with developed cinema industries will participate with many shares on promoting films abroad.

According to VnExpress