EUROPEAN FILM FESTIVAL 2005

Hanoi May 6 - 20, 2005

HCMC May 11 - 23, 2005

Musíme si pomáhat

Divided We Fall

Country: Czech Republic Year: 2000 ; Runtime: 120'

Language: Czech with German & English subtitles - one screening with Vietnamese translation

Director: Jan Hřebejk Cinematography: Jan Malíř

Music: Aleš Březina Editing: Vladimír Barták Scriptwriter: Petr Jarchovský

Cast and Characters:

Boleslav Polívka (Josef Čízek), Anna Šišková (Marie Čížková), Jaroslav Dušek (Horst Prohaska), Csongor Kassai (David Wiener), Martin Huba (Dr. Kepke)

In Nazi occupied Czechoslovakia, although fully aware of extreme danger of harbouring a Jew in the Third Riech, the Cizek family can not permit themselves to leave their friend David to certain death and agree to hide him. However, this decision leads to terrible danger of being discovered by the Nazis and especially by their friend and collaborator, Horst, who is attracted to Marie. With desperate cleverness and luck, the Cizeks struggle to keep the secret, even when Horst begins to suspect them. They find themselves taking unorthodox choices and learning about the true nature of the people around them.

The film was nominated for an Oscar Academy Award as Best Foreign Language Film of 2000.

UNESCO World Biosphere Reserve for Cat Ba Archipelago

The Ceremony to receive UNESCO World Biosphere Reserve for Cat Ba Archipelago took place on April 1, 2005, with the presence of Vice Prime Minister Vu Khoan. Cat Ba island is situated in the Tonkin Bay at the coast of North Vietnam. Representatives of the Embassy of the Czech Republic were also present at the Ceremony.

Biosphere Reserve should prevent the destruction of natural eco-system, support the adequate use of natural resources and create favorable conditions for the development of the harbor of Haiphong, 30 km southwest from the island.

Cat Ba Island has an area of 26,240ha, and highly diversified eco-system consisting of tropical forests, coral reefs, mangroves, sandy beaches and caves. It is also home to over 2,000 animals and plants. The earlier biosphere reserve in Vietnam includes HCM City's Can Gio mangrove swamp, Dong Nai Province's Cat Tien National Park and Hong (Red) River Plain.

International Children's Exhibition Fine Art "Lidice" - awards ceremony

On February 25, 2005, Vietnamese children who participated in 32^nd year of the International Children's Exhibition Fine Art "Lidice" were awarded at the Embassy of the Czech Republic in Hanoi. This competition and exhibition was established to commemorate child victims from the Czech village of Lidice, murdered by Nazis during World War II, and all other children who have died in wars. Vietanamese children traditionly take active part in this competion.

The director of the International Department of the Ministry of Culture and Information of Vietnam, director of the House of Hanoi Children a director of the Internatinal Press and Communication Cooperation Centre in Vietnam shared this happy occasion with the awarded children and their parents. The Ambassador of the Czech Republic awarded children with diplomas and art kits for their future art creations.