For the past several months, the Vietnamese press has covered the success of the overseas Vietnamese film, Buffalo Boy, as it swept awards in the international film festival circuit. With each prize it garnered, the film was featured as a top-level story in the culture and entertainment sections of the main Vietnamese news sources such as Tuoi Tre, VN Express and Thanh Nien.

Apparently oblivious to the merits of a more mature national film industry, the Vietnamese Ministry of Culture and Information (MCI) has drafted a bill that would prohibit overseas Vietnamese filmmakers from releasing films within Vietnam. The xenophobic draft has been met with resistance from those actually working in the film industry and has found allies in the government who cannot frankly understand how such backward proposition could be made when clearly the film and entertainment sector is booming.

"Though the Vietnam film industry is developing a more open and international character, MCI still views Viet Kieu filmmakers with suspicion because they “do not live in Vietnam”. -VietnamNet

"Vietnam's first cinematography bill, still under draft, allows only Vietnamese citizens to make films within the country for release, setting off a wave of protests from the film fraternity." -Thanh Nien

From VietnamNet News:

Nguyen Phuc Thanh, Director of MCI’s Cinema Department said: “We’ve already allowed private film companies to be opened, but not yet Viet Kieu companies. Viet Kieu do not live in Vietnam so they do not know well the nation’s real customs and situation. If they establish companies here, they would make complications.”

Mr Thanh’s explanation was immediately rejected by renowned artists. People’s Artist, Director Huy Thanh, said: “How can Mr Thanh think that way? Speaking plainly, many domestic directors are much worse than Viet Kieu at making films on Vietnam. Very good films such as Mua Len Trau (Buffalo Boy) or Thoi Xa Vang (Time far away) won many prizes from international film festivals. They were all produced by Viet Kieu.”

Sharing that view, Nguyen The Thanh, Deputy Director of the HCM City Culture and Information Department, said: “Now is the time that the government should allow Viet Kieu to open their own film companies. They were already allowed to share nation’s educational projects. Why not cinema?”

Meanwhile, the press continues to feature the government's dedication to the development of film as this week's articles, Vietnamese embraces young film directors and Top Vietnam film award for The Quiet American star show.

Sources
VietnamNet. Producers, officials in row over Viet Kieu film laws
VietnamNet. Vietnamese films screened at France’s international film festival