U.S. Embassy’s Video Contest winners announced

“Viet Nam: My Voice, My Video” contest was part of U.S. Embassy’s Digital Meetup 2.0, a yearly event organized by the U.S. Mission to Viet Nam’s American Spaces

“Viet Nam: My Voice, My Video” asked participants to “tell the world one – and only one – thing about Viet Nam” in an 100 second or less video. The contest ran from January 4 to January 23, 2013, with 80 videos submitted from 16 cities and provinces, making it the first ever nationwide video contest organized by the U.S. Embassy.

Twelve videos made it to the shortlist, which were shown in the ceremony, with topics ranging from Sai Gon by night, Ha Noi café to current affairs such as congestion in the capital city.

 “The level of creativity was very high, they are very well produced,” U.S. Embassy’s Press Attaché Spencer Cryder highly evaluated the videos submitted, “the filmmakers had put a lot of time and efforts into it, they created it themselves, they used and cited where their music was from, they didn’t violate any copyright laws, that was also very important.”

“The reason behind this contest is to give people in Viet Nam the opportunities to tell the world about Viet Nam through their own words, through their own images. […] I think it’s best to hear from Vietnamese people what they love about their country,” Mr. Cryder talked about the contest that he initiated.

As a representative of the U.S. Embassy at the event, the Press Attaché expressed interests to “provide people the chance to create and share things with their families and friends in Viet Nam”.

Nguyen Thi Huong Trang, an university student from Ha Nam province, who made a video about bún – the “special rice”, said “I joined the contest to let international friends know more about our country Viet Nam.”

The Grand prize of an iPad mini finally went to Le Anh Tu, a 23 year-old Design student at the FPT university. Tu won the contest with “Peace”, his video about Ha Noi, as “the city always bring peaceful feelings to me [him]”.

The Grand winner wants to pursuit career in filmmaking and photography and winning the contest provides a premise for him.

U.S. Embassy Ha Noi’s Public Affairs Officer Chris Hodges strongly closed the ceremony, saying “It’s important how you define Viet Nam, you who live here and know this country and this beautiful culture and the history better than anyone. This is a chance for all of us to learn from you, to be inspired by you.”

Phan Huyen Thu, a high-profile film director at the Central Documentary and Scientific Film Studio, also joined the events to share her experiences in filmmaking and give advice to young Vietnamese who wants to pursuit a career in the industry.

“Viet Nam: My Voice, My Video” contest was part of U.S. Embassy’s Digital Meetup 2.0, a yearly event organized by the U.S. Mission to Viet Nam’s American Spaces, consisting of the U.S. Embassy Ha Noi and Consulate General HCMC’s American Centers.

                                                                                                                By Thuy Linh