Vietnam's HCM City to foster film production, performing arts

HO CHI MINH CITY, March 13 (Xinhua) -- Under a mega project on developing its arts sector from now to 2030, Vietnam's Ho Chi Minh City is focusing on fostering Film production, performing arts, fine arts and photography, the municipal Department of Culture and Sports said Wednesday.

Ho Chi Minh City plans to develop a modern Film studio on an area of over 100 hectares, and a large center for Film pre-production and post-production.

The city also plans to screen more Vietnamese feature Films and animations in cinemas, attract more foreign movies to local Film festivals, and give more preferential treatment to both local and foreign Film investors.

Now, the city is promoting traditional theatrical arts, including "cai luong" (reformed opera) and "hat boi" (classical drama), and building the Ho Chi Minh City Ballet Symphony Orchestra and Opera with investment of 1,500 billion Vietnamese dong (65.2 million U.S. dollars), and Phu Tho multi-functional circus and theater with the same amount of money.

Under the project, the municipal arts sector will represent 7 percent of Ho Chi Minh City's GDP in 2020, and 15 percent in 2030. By 2020, revenues from the city's Film industry will account for 35 percent of total revenues from Vietnam's Film industry.

Ho Chi Minh City is now home to seven state-owned art troupes and one center for Films and performing arts, and more than 700 private performing arts organizers, said the department.