Recently, mass communications publicized information about Ly Nha Ky’s picture being displayed on billboard panel at Cannes Film Festival along with the slogan “Ly Nha Ky – The new voice”. This panel was put aside the promotional panels of cinema and tourism of Ho Chi Minh City and stirred up the public.

Picture of Ly Nha Ky on billboard panel at Cannes Film Festival (France) with slogan “Ly Nha Ky – The new voice” put aside promotional panels of cinema and tourism of Ho Chi Minh City.

To this issue, we had a conversation with Mr. Le Khanh Hai – Deputy Minister of the Ministry of Culture-Sport & Tourism this morning (22^nd May).

According to the Deputy Minister Mr. Le Khanh Hai, the Ministry always welcome individuals and organizations to contribute positively in promoting image of the country and Vietnamese people to international friends. For example, “Kong Island” movie was a push towards Vietnamese tourism.

“It was said a long time ago that our culture did not integrate but in fact, our culture has integrated for a while. And our people who perform art and culture activities are highly appreciated in the world” Mr. Hai said.

The Deputy Minister of the Ministry of Culture, Sport and Tourism continued his statement, that perhaps French people has sympathy towards Ly Nha Ky hence they invited her. That is the reason why the company as event organizer during Cannes Film Festival decided to choose Ly Nha Ky as the new face and new voice at Cannes Film Festival this year.

Mr. Le Khanh Hai - Minister of the Ministry of Culture-Sport & Tourism

In the latest press release, Mr. Antoine Dray – President of ADR Prod Company – the event organizer of numerous events during Cannes Film Festival expressed that they had carefully considered and selected by going through many well-experiened media experts in France regarding the matter of inviting the Former Tourism Ambassador.

To this event, the beauty went on with doing promotion for tourism and cinema of Vietnam by sponsoring 1 million euros to display 3 grand promotional billboard panels of Ho Chi Minh City tourism and Vietnamese cinema. As a result, there are 3 promotional panels for Vietnamese cinema and Ho Chi Minh City tourism was hanged outside of  Barrìere Le Majestic Hotel. This position is facing the Palais des Festival where the red carpet activities of many international celebrities and film makers happens during Cannes Film Festival.

Mr. Le Khanh Hai asserted that what Ly Nha Ky did was very good act, worth of appreciation and support. Not only because this is an enormous event to those who work in cinema industry but also to Vietnam, this is the first time we officially appear in such prestigious event.

However when 3 promotional billboard panels of Vietnamese cinema and tourism were displayed, beside there is another 4^th panel with picture of personal Ly Nha Ky along with the slogan “Ly Nha Ky – The new voice of Vietnam”, after that it was altered to “LY Nha Ky – The new voice”. Immediately there are controversial opinions. Some people blamed and attacked Ly Nha Ky with cruel words, they even wanted to “examine and deal with” the Former Tourism Ambassdor.

To this issue, the Deputy Minister of the Ministry of Culture, Sport and Tourism, Mr. Le Khanh Hai said that from a point of culture view, this should not be “made a mountain out of a molehill”, the public should be calm and deeply considering the matter. “After examination, Ly Nha Ky did not violate anything hence we should not make a fuss unless she violates habits and customs and our country’s law” Mr. Hai said.

The letter from ADR Corp.

According to the objective viewpoint of Mr. Hai, when the misleading slogan on panel of Ly Nha Ky was figured out, the event organizer company immediately recognized and fixed it. This circumstance not only happens in foreign but also in Vietnam, when reality is different from the initial approved layout. As a consequence, the Deputy Minister claimed that the public should have calmer point of view, should not have hasty judgment and need to contribute positively so we could learn from it and avoid such inevitable mistakes in the future.

“A good act to support tourism and cinema should be appreciated, but suddenly it was badly reputed and brought sadness to the person who did it. We should not let bad things happen to the individual who did positive things but have to undertake bad reputation. We should be feeling more confident and comfortable in such circumstance like this. Nitpicking too much makes people afraid. Ly Nha Ky did not violate habits and customs of Vietnam”, the Deputy Minister expressed his opinion.