1. Purposes

At present, there is no movie library in Vietnam, where cinematic students and filmmakers can easily access documentary sources on cinema. Foreign movies available in Vietnam are mostly commercial works in the forms of videotapes or compact disks on the market.

Such documents as books, newspapers, magazines, professional bulletins, scripts, author and work records, etc. are extremely scarce, and there are no Vietnamese translations. Moreover, the foreign language skills of Vietnamese students and filmmakers are not strong enough to foreign documents in the original forms. 

A cinema library (though small) will partly help to deal with the situation. This will be a space where young filmmakers can watch movies, access documents, exchange and discuss on different aspects of cinema. And their creativity can be promoted. All foreign documents and movies in the library will be gradually translated into Vietnamese. Particularly, the library will become the place for domestic and foreign filmmakers to get in touch with Vietnamese films and documents.

2. Expectations

Cinema Space will be a place for movie fans.

Location: Vietnam Cinema Association – 22A Hai Ba Trung, Ha Noi.

This is a library of DVDs, VHS films, books, newspapers, screenplays and other cinema documents for use by all members.

The library will organize many practical and useful activities, such as topical discussions for cinema fans and artists to exchange and improve their professional skills and approach to new filmmaking styles.

3. Implementation

In the Cinema Space, young Vietnamese filmmakers and cinema fans can study documents and classic works (Study Space) as well as meet and exchange professionally to other Vietnamese and international cinema workers (Exchange Space). This also provides a collection and archive of teaching and training documents, an effective assistance for short-movie projects and other development activities.

- Cinema Space will cover an area of 70m2 in Hanoi center.

- Cinema Space will consist of:

         + 7 individual places to watch DVD with television sets.

         + 1 individual place to watch VHS with television sets

         + A large table to read books (for 10 people)

         + A small topical chamber for 30-40 people to watch movies shown on a professional screen.

4. Activities

- Cinema Space will open from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily (except Monday).

- Activities:

            + instructing to look up documents

            + lending movies (on-location screenings)

            + screenings for groups of members

            + meetings and discussions on cinema

            + holding topical seasons of movies

           + introducing film topics

-  Cinema Space opens free. But a member card will be issued with a small fee (50.000 VND per. year)

Q: What are the member’s obligations and rights, with this card?

A: The members can come and watch movies on the spot (DVD, VHS) under the assistance and supervision of a librarian. Everything in its place. Please ask the librarian if you want to watch movies.

Q: What are other rights beside watching movies on the spot?

A: You can take part in watching topical weeks of movies hold by Cinema Space. You can engage more deeply and professionally in cinema through direct discussions with Vietnamese and international famous directors and performers.

Q: Through what ways can I study cinema in Cinema Space?

A: Apart from over 1,000 film titles, we can provide a lot of books, magazines on cinema histories, directors, cinematography, script-writing, soundtrack making as well as such famous plays as Citizen Kane, Psycho… We are trying to translate these documents into Vietnamese to facilitate the research.

Q: Where can I obtain information about Cinema Space’s activities?

A: We provide our members with a printed schedule of next-week activities on every Friday. You can take a paper at 22A Hai Ba Trung. This weekly schedule is also sent to members via email.

5. Cinema Space:

- Feature films: the world’s classic films are selected and collected in line with different movements: Italian Neorealism, French New Wave, British “Kitchen sink”, Chinese Fifth Generation works...

- Short films: very useful for young filmmakers. Short movies will be their first experiment to develop their skills.

- Screenplays: There are few foreign scripts in Vietnam for referral, especially in Vietnamese translations. Cinema Space can provide the translations of many foreign scripts for members to study.

- Magazines and newspapers: full of information about the world cinema, with many film analyses, introductions of directors and performers, and essays.

- Cinema documents: Lists of the world’s great prize-winning movies, cinema histories and movements.