Resotoration Films about Vietnam
On Wed, 5 May 2004, Mike and Marion Little wrote:
Dear Judith and Christopher,
By accident, I recently landed on the VSG website, and thoroughly enjoyed browsing through it. The discussion groups were particularly interesting...and after finding the one titled Vietnam Films, I decided to contact you.
Briefly, my background is not in the academic field; rather, I am a "student" of Vietnam based on experience. The first experience took place in '67-'68, as an American soldier. Since then, I've been back to Vietnam 7 times, having reconnected with my friends from the past. It hasn't been easy, since these friends are all Bahnar Montagnards, living in GiaLai Province. As I'm sure you know, the Vietnamese authorities have difficulty trusting relationships between their "ethnic minorities" and Americans.
We can get into this topic more at a latter time if you like. However, my reason for writing is to ask if you've ever heard of a film called: THE MISSION OF THE GRAND PLATEAUS? Dating back to about 1960, it was filmed by the French missionary, Father Christian Simonnet. It chronicles Bahnar life in the Kontum area
A few years ago, I received a VHS video of this 45 minute documentary from a Vietnamese priest who lives in Kontum, who had obtained the video while visiting Paris. Recently, I made a digital copy. My intent is to restore the film as best as possible. Unfortunately, the original celluloid film is seemingly lost. I've been in contact with MEP, the missionary archives in Paris, and they are very supportive of this effort...but can't locate Simonnet's original (he has since passed away).
Today, the Montagnard cultural identity is quickly disappearing. The importance of this short documentary can't be overstated, as it beautifully depicts many aspects of daily life, despite the heavy religious overtones. I don't know if anything like it exists.
Contacts at the University of California Irvine have helped with the English translation. Additionally, the university's Southeast Asian Archives, headed by Anne Frank, attempted to find a "partner" to help with the restoration process....but without luck.
So, I "sit" on this little gem and search for someone who finds it as significant as I do. By this email, I'm hoping you might have some suggestions. Thanks for your time!
Mike Little
Orange County, CA
949/460-0443
littlecrazy3@cox.net
From: "Judith Henchy" <judithh@u.washington.edu>
To: "Mike and Marion Little" <littlecrazy3@cox.net>
Cc: "Christopher Wm Joincer Ctr Jenner" <christopher.jenner@umb.edu>
Sent: Wednesday, May 05, 2004 3:09 PM
Subject: Re: FILMS OF VIETNAM
Dear Mike,
Thanks for your interesting email. I am a bit confused about what your plan is now, given that the original is seemingly lost. I presume that you are intending to work with the video? What is the quality of the copy you have in hand?
I agree that the film is a very interesting document, which should be archived somewhere. I have little expertise to offer in terms of how one might go about restoring it, however.
I would be interested to hear more, if you find a way of converting to a different format.
Best
Judith
From: Mike and Marion Little [mailto:littlecrazy3@cox.net]
Sent: Wed 05/05/04 18:37
To: Judith Henchy
Cc: Christopher Jenner
Subject: Re: FILMS OF VIETNAM
Hi Judith,
Thanks for the response! I'm also confused about my next steps, not being a filmmaker. However, now that I have a digital copy, perhaps there is a way to conduct restoration efforts by a professional...or film student who might take it on as a school project? The video quality is poor....but it's amazing how much better it looked digitally. One of these days, I'm going to figure out how to copy the digital version onto my computer...and then I could share it with you.
Additionally, the film could use a new soundtrack, some slight editing and English narration. I was even playing with the idea of shooting new footage, maybe an introduction by my friend, Gerry Hickey, who has written extensively on the Montagnards. Don't know, just trying how best to frame up the film.
Thanks again for your interest, and I will be sure to keep you informed of any progress.
Mike
From christopher.jenner@umb.edu Fri May 28 09:47:27 2004
Date: Fri, 7 May 2004 18:23:56 -0400
From: Christopher Jenner <christopher.jenner@umb.edu>
Reply-To: vsg@u.washington.edu
To: Vietnam Studies Group <vsg@u.washington.edu>
Subject: Vietnam Films
Dear Mike (if I may) --
I wholeheartedly commend your interest in restoring audio-visual records of Vietnam's modern history. Therefore, I am sorry to write that a second generation VHS tape is not a functional start point for professional film restoration. Ideally, the restoration process commences with the film's negative, if that is not available an inter-neg is thrown from the best available print, then a fresh print from the new inter-neg. Alternatively, you could undertake digital restoration if your original start point was of suitable quality, which in this case it is not. Was the original film shot on 16mm or 35mm?
Whatever, before any legal restoration effort can commence you must determine copyright ownership, then seek permission for such a project from the owner or purchase the copyright. No television broadcaster nor public cinema will screen Father Simonnet's restored film without permission from the copyright owner. If you are intending anything more than simply viewing the film for your own pleasure in your living room you will have to resolve copyright before all else. The same applies to your proposal to re-edit Simonnet's film after restoration.
As you have already transferred the film from VHS to DVD perhaps you might wish to disseminate a few copies to university archives/SE Asian studies departments for educational purposes. I would be happy to help with this, we have TX and duplication facilities on campus, the relevant personnel are a good bunch and they are interested in audio-visual records of modern Vietnamese history. One of them might perhaps be interested in teaming-up with you
I'll finish, in haste, with the following random thoughts and an article:
There are Vietnamese filmmakers/anthropolgists/historians/writers/journalists who support Vietnam's ethnic minorities but status quo requires careful handling. Following a recent field trip historian David Marr posted an insightful report on the Tay Nguyen events which concluded:
<<<Also like the French 70 years ago, today's newspapers refused to discuss or even acknowledge underlying grievances. For the Tay Nguyen minority demonstrators, I'd say these are freedom of religion, return of land taken by the Kinh, and affirmation of cultural difference. I was dismayed (but not surprised) to hear otherwise open-minded Vietnamese friends dismissing or downgrading these grievances. They also anticipated a major government crackdown, and felt no inclination to criticize this publicly.>>>
Viet xenophobia aside, under present circumstances public criticism of State policy would be a significant action.
Christian Simonnet wrote a biography of Theophane Venard, Martyr of Vietnam. As you may know, Venard, a French missionary to Vietnam, was martyred in 1861 and canonized a Saint in 1988 by Pope John Paul II. Simonnet's account takes the reader from Theophane's childhood in a French village, through his education and family life, and his lifelong desire to go to Vietnam and die for "the Faith".
If Simonnet's film was indeed made in the 1960's (most prints are dated at the credits' tail) it should not be too difficult a task to contact people who knew or worked with him (see below)
Good luck.
Copyright 2004 Financial Times Information
All rights reserved
Global News Wire - Asia Africa Intelligence Wire
Copyright 2004 Vietnam News Briefs
Vietnam News Briefs
May 4, 2004
LENGTH: 261 words
HEADLINE: POLITICS & LAW: VATICAN CONFIRMS NO CATHOLIC INVOLVEMENT IN
CENTRAL HIGHLANDS UNREST
BODY:
-- Chris
C J Jenner
Research Fellow/
Director, Vietnam Archives Project,
William Joiner Center
for the Study of War and Social Consequences,
100 Morrissey Boulevard,
Boston, MA 02125-3393,
United States.
Tel: 617 287 5878
E-mail: christopher.jenner@umb.edu
From: Mark Sidel [mailto:mark-sidel@uiowa.edu]
Sent: Tue 05/11/04 04:27
To: Vietnam Studies Group
Cc:
Subject: Query re Vietnamese film
Dear VSG colleagues,
I am trying to locate an English-subtitled or even dubbed version of the Vietnamese film Luoi Troi (sometimes translated Heaven's Net), which is about corruption issues in Vietnam. Luoi Troi has been to several international film festivals, so a subtitled or dubbed version should be available.
Do any VSG readers have any ideas - or have any heard about a U.S. distributor for this and other new Vietnamese "realist" movies, such as Gia Nhay?
Many thanks!
Mark Sidel
Associate Professor of Law
University of Iowa College of Law
and Obermann Center for Advanced Studies
mark-sidel@uiowa.edu
319-384-4640 (office)
319-321-7913 (cell)
From christopher.jenner@umb.edu Fri May 28 09:48:07 2004
Date: Thu, 13 May 2004 18:10:38 -0400
From: Christopher Jenner <christopher.jenner@umb.edu>
Reply-To: vsg@u.washington.edu
To: Vietnam Studies Group <vsg@u.washington.edu>
Subject: Query re Vietnamese film
Dear Mark (if I may) --
My Vietnamese film work is focused on documentary preservation and distribution, which keeps me busy enough! In 2003 LUOI TROI (HEAVEN'S NET)(Phim 1) and GIA NHAY (BAR GIRLS) (Giai Phong Phim TPHCM) were box office hits in Vietnam and well worth the effort of tracking down.
One obvious and direct route to purchasing Vietnamese feature films is to contact the germane production companies. They will know if legal subtitled/dubbed versions are available.
LUOI TROI and many other Vietnamese language feature films and tv productions are available in DVD format from:
http://www.tuluc.com/
Tu Luc
14318 Brookhurst St
Garden Grove CA 92843
Tel: (714) 531-5290 / 893-3456
Fax: (714) 531-2280 / 893-7107
Regards,
-- Chris