(VOVworld) - The joyful atmosphere of the Lunar New Year festival, Vietnamese Tet, is all around. Here in VOV’s office, we have received a lot of beautiful greetings from listeners around the world between the Solar New Year and the fast approaching Lunar New Year.

Hang Luoc flower market in Hanoi

B: I love the days leading up to Tet. People are striving to wrap up their business in the old year and prepare to welcome the New Year. Our work has tripled in these days. We have to prepare radio programs for special broadcasts during Tet.

A: Next week, we’ll begin to broadcast stories about Tet in many regions across Vietnam, from the mountains to the plains, the coastal region, and Vietnam’s islands. Many foreigners will join our programs to talk about their feelings and impressions of Vietnamese Tet. We’ll have cultural stories about what should and should not be done during Vietnamese Tet to attract a favorable, prosperous, and happy New Year and ward off bad luck.

A horse-shape bonsai tree made by artisan in Cai Mon commune, Ben Tre province

B: That’s not all we’ll be offering on our channel during Tet. If you miss our shortwave broadcasts, you can listen to them or read the transcripts on our website at www.vovworld.vn. Now let’s read some of the listeners’ letters we got during the week. Ashik Eqbal Tokon of Bangladesh wrote in an email: “Thanks a lot for the details of Tet. I really enjoyed the Letter Box on January 8 about your traditional New Year festival. Happy to know about Vietnam’s customs. I also enjoyed listening to the Saturday report on the Mong ethnic people’s custom of “buttock slapping” during New Year’s festival.”

A: Thank you Ashik for regularly tuning in to our channel. We really appreciate your feedback and technical notes. We’ll confirm your report with our QSL soon. From India, Shri Bhagwan Sharma got a clear signal from VOV on the frequency of 7215 khz on January 22. Our original frequency was 7220 khz. 

B: Mr. Sharma listened to our New Rural Landscape segment about activities to develop the countryside in Vietnam. There was a story about a man who spent his own money to build a market in his commune so the villagers no longer had to cross the river and travel tens of km to sell their farm products. The story also mentioned other people who donated land to build a school and roads. He commented: “People are doing very good work. It’s truly inspirational activity for society.”

A: The national program on developing new rural areas was launched 3 years ago. It’s goal is to improve rural infrastructure like roads, schools, irrigation systems, electricity, markets, and clinics, as well as people’s incomes, the environment, rural administration, and social order.

B: This week, several listeners sent us questions on the same topic: the Vietnamese film industry. They want to know about Vietnam’s famous film actors, film studios, and film awards. We have two prestigious film prizes. The Bông sen vàng “Golden Lotus” is given to films competing at the Vietnam Film Festival. It was introduced in 1973. The award is given in five different categories: feature film, video, documentary film, science film, and animated film.

A: The Cánh diều vàng "Golden Kite Prize" of the Vietnam Cinema Association is considered Vietnam's Oscar. It was begun in March, 2003, on the 50th anniversary of the Association's establishment. It’s held every year in March to honors films, directors, and actors of the previous year.

B: At the 2012 Golden Kite Awards, “Blood letter” (Thien Menh Anh Hung) directed by Vietnamese-American Victor Vu, took the Golden kite prize for “best feature film”. Vu won “best director”, and “best actor” went to Huynh Dong. The film’s cameraman Nguyen K’Linh won the award for “best cameraman”.

A scene in "Blood letter" directed by Vietnamese-American Victor Vu

A: The film “Scandal” (Bi mat tham do), also directed by Vu, was presented with the best feature film award voted by the press. Dinh Y Nhung won “best actress” for her role in the film “In the Name of Love”. Actor Hua Vy Van and actress Maya were named “best supporting actor” and “best supporting actress”.

B: The best TV series was “Tutor Tran Thu Do”. It helped director Dao Duy Phuc and writer Nguyen Manh Tuan win “best director for TV series” and “best script for TV series”. “Best actor for TV series” and “best actress for TV series” went to actor Quy Binh and actress Hue Minh.

A: That’s a short take on Vietnamese film prizes in Vietnam’s fledging film industry. We see many new, young faces on TV every day. Many models and singers want to try their hand at acting. But it takes time to get established in the industry and in the hearts of film lovers.

B: From the US, Stephen Zolvinski wrote that he would like to learn more about President Ho Chi Minh. And from Bangladesh, Rana Dewan Rafiul asked about the name of Vietnam’s biggest political party.

A: The Communist Party of Vietnam is the sole political party in Vietnam. It was founded by Ho Chi Minh in 1930. The CPV espouses Marxism-Leninism and Ho Chi Minh's Thought , the ideology of the late Hồ Chí Minh. The two ideologies guide the activities of the Party and state in building a socialist-oriented market economy. On February 3, we’ll have articles to mark the CPV’s 94^th founding anniversary.  

B: Before wrapping up the Letter Box on VOV today, we would like to acknowledge a letter from Kendra Anspaugh in Louisiana, the US. He noted that the transmission on 15 January on 6175 khz was good with SINPO rating at 54445. Kendra also wrote: “I was very glad to hear you because I’d just had Pho for dinner and was in a Vietnamese mood anyway.”

A: We acknowledge letters from Anton Bernhoffer and Alex Fenix of the US, David Willock of the UK, Christer Brunstrom of Sweden, Samuel Carlos de Santana of Brazil, and Eyamin Hossain of India. We’ll send you QSL cards to confirm your reports soon. We welcome your feedback at: English section, Overseas Service, Radio Voice of Vietnam, 45 Ba Trieu Street, Hanoi, Vietnam. Or you can email us at: englishsection@vov.org.vn. You’re invited to visit us online at www.vovworld.vn, where you can hear both live and recorded programs. Good bye until next time.