French government honors Vietnamese artist Ngô Phương Lan with Officer of the Order of Arts and Letters award
HA NOI — Film critic and President of the Vietnam Film Development Association (VFDA), Ngo Phuong Lan, has been honored with the insignia of Officer of the Order of Arts and Letters by French Culture Minister Rachida Dati.
Established in 1957, this accolade recognizes individuals who have made significant contributions to the arts. It signifies France’s acknowledgment of those who actively promote art and culture, both in France and abroad.
As the head of VFDA, established in 2019, Lan has demonstrated her dedication to cinema. From 2012 to 2018, she served as Director of the Department of Cinema under the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism.
Dati commended Lan's extraordinary career during the award ceremony, noting her unwavering commitment to cinema without boundaries. She also emphasized Lan's influence extending beyond Vietnam, as well as the strength of the cultural tie between the two nations.
In an additional gesture, Minister Dati announced that the French National Cinema Centre will be supporting the Da Nang International Film Festival (DANAFF), initiated by Lan in 2023. The centre will award a scholarship for the best film project at DANAFF.
Since its inception, DANAFF has been co-held annually by VFDA, the Da Nang People's Committee, and other related agencies. The second edition featured a seminar and retrospective dedicated to the relationship between French and Vietnamese cinema.
Lan, a descendant of an artistic family, holds a degree in Cinematography from the Soviet State University of Cinema and has published two books, including one focusing on modernity and nationality in cinema. Her first book written in Vietnamese about the country's film history was translated into English.
Recognition of Lan's tireless dedication to the country's cinema industry includes the National Award for Literature and Arts in 2017 and the title for contributions to copyrighted material in the Asia Pacific region at CineAsia in 2022.
In her efforts to support emerging talent, Lan has played a key role in short film competitions held in Vietnam.
French Minister of Culture Rachida Dati awards the insignia of Officer of the Order of Arts and Letters to President of the Việt Nam Film Development Association Ngô Phương Lan in Hà Nội. Photo courtesy of the French Institute in Việt Nam
The French Order of Arts and Letters, an esteemed honor bestowed upon Lan, acknowledges her outstanding contributions to culture and arts, symbolizing the strong cultural bond between Vietnam and France.
The French Order of Arts and Letters, bestowed upon Ngo Phuong Lan, signifies France's recognition of her significant contributions not only to her native cinema industry but also to culture and arts, strengthening the bond between the two nations. In addition to presiding over the Da Nang International Film Festival, Lan has supported emerging talent through short film competitions and published two books focusing on cinema, the first of which was translated into English, further establishing her global impact.
