The two documentary films entitled “Binh Yen, Come Home!” and “Road to Xuan Lien” about sustainable development in Vietnam was screened at 7:00 PM on September 21 at Library and Halle, Goethe Institut, Ba Dinh District, Hanoi and via Zoom at https://goethe-institut.zoom.us/j/88288014876.

The poster of the program. Photo: Goethe Institut Hanoi

These films are the results of effective cooperation between the Center for Nature Conservation and Development (CCD) and FOUR PAWS Viet and their Vietnamese filmmakers.

These document the stories and reflect their work at their important project sites. In addition, there is a display of “behind the scene” photos where the audience can see different layers of the stories. On this occasion, the organizers offer an open space for exchange between the press and young Vietnamese filmmakers and NGO partners.

“Binh Yen, Come Home!” vividly recreates the lives of bears and their caretakers at Bear Sanctuary Ninh Binh. These are the footage that honestly reflect the pain of bears who have been victims of bear farming for bile, their recovery journey at the conservation facility, and the thoughts of their caretakers. The filmmakers, through evocative and emotional images, wish to arouse viewers' sympathy with animals in particular and nature in general.

In another space, “Road to Xuan Lien” will make the audience forget the sense of time. The film shows the value of nature and follows the joint efforts to harmonize conservation and development and connect people with nature in Xuan Lien, Thuong Xuan District, Thanh Hoa Province. This area is also important to the life and cultural identity of the Thai ethnic community in the west of Thanh Hoa.

The film “Binh Yen, come home!” themed wildlife conservation to arouse viewers' sympathy for animals. Photo: VNA

In addition, "behind-the-scenes" photos are telling interesting and meaningful stories during the filming period at the CCD and FOUR PAWS Viet/ BSNB project locations. There will also be an open talk with the filmmakers, film protagonists, and NGOs.

The Eco-film Production project is an initiative of the Goethe-Institut to foster collaboration between civil society organizations in Vietnam and documentary filmmakers to tell stories of sustainable development through documentary footage.

According to the program organizers, the documentary genre in Vietnam does not gain attention as much as abroad. Therefore, the project is considered a good opportunity to help overcome this situation and contribute to raising the bar for Vietnamese documentary filmmakers by promoting the films to the international community.