Vietnamese director awarded France's art medal

By Nguyen Minh, Minh Anh September 5, 2016 | 03:23 pm PT

The filmmaker is best known for "Flapping in the Middle of Nowhere", which has grabbed many international awards.

Vietnamese female director Nguyen Hoang Diep was awarded on September 5 the "Chevalier de l'ordre des Arts et des Lettres" (Knight of Arts and Letters) by Eva Nguyen Binh - French Counsellor of Cultural action in Vietnam and Frederique Bredin - President of France's National Center of Cinematography and the moving image, for her contribution and goodwill to French culture.

Nguyen Hoang Diep receives the medal from Frederique Bredin - President Frances National Center of Cinematography and the moving image.

Nguyen Hoang Diep receives the medal from Frederique Bredin - President of France's National Center of Cinematography and the moving image. Photo by VnExpress/Nick M

"To me, making a movie is like being a student, you've got to constantly learn. The fact this event coincides with the first day of school [in Vietnam] feels like a new beginning," said Diep after receiving the award. "Two years ago, also on September 5, I received my first international award at the Venice Film Festival for 'Flapping in the Middle of Nowhere'," she added.

Diep is the director of "Flapping in the Middle of Nowhere", a joint project by producers from France, Germany, Norway and Vietnam and supported by French Alliance in both pre and post production. The movie was named Best Movie by Federation of Film Critics of Europe and the Mediterranean and went on to grab many other awards.

She is also the producer of “Bi, don’t be afraid”, the movie that bagged two prizes at the Cannes Film Festival 2010.

The medal, one of the four ministerial medals of France, acknowledges the contribution of its recipient to French culture and is an act to consolidate the relationship between France and the artists' country.

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