Strong humanism in ASEAN documentary and photo festival

VietNamNet Bridge – In 2010, the year Vietnam assumes the Chairmanship of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), the host country has organized many cultural events that mark the new steps in culture-art cooperation among ASEAN members.

Besides the establishment of the first ASEAN symphony orchestra, the ASEAN Photo and Documentary Festival 2010, which closed last week, is a great success.

Launched in May 2010, the festival attracted 600 photos and sets of photos and nearly 70 documentaries from hundreds of contestants throughout Southeast Asia. Through their photos and documentaries, contestants not only introduced the unique culture of their nations but the culture of their neighboring countries. For example, the entries of a Singaporean contestant were photos about Cambodia, and a Vietnamese contestant submitted a documentary about Laos to the contest.

“A community of multiple characters with multiple similarities is the image of a unique and beautiful ASEAN. The most outstanding feature is ASEAN people who are hard-working and humane,” said Do Quy Doan, Vietnamese Deputy Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism, chief of the organizing board.

Below are winning works:

Asfasyara, from Malaysia, with her second-prize winning photo set entitled “Portraits of Aboriginals”

Second-prize: The portrait of an aboriginal.

A photo from the “Portraits of Aboriginals” set.

Second prize: Elephant festival in Vietnam’s Central Highlands.

Anderson Ee from Malaysia, who won the first prize for “An Ordinary Needle” documentary.

A scene from “An Ordinary Needle”

Zaw Tun from Myanmar, first-prize winner for a photo set named “Working at the farm”.

Consolation prize: Wet rice in the mountainous region (Vietnam)

Consolation prize: The timbre of the Central Highlands (Vietnam)

A picture from “Vietnam – My country” set, consolation prize.