Artist takes home 11th Golden Apricot award
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Fruits of his labour: Meritorious Artist Thanh Loc (left) receives the Mai Vang Award for Favourite Theatrical Director, in HCM City. — VNS Photo by Thanh Vu |
HCM CITY — Meritorious artist Thanh Loc has won the Mai Vang (Golden Apricot) Award for Achievement in Theatrical Directing at an awards ceremony in HCM City, his 11th victory in the 15 years the awards have been presented.
Loc received the highest number of votes cast by readers of Nguoi Lao Dong (The Labourer) newspaper for his musical drama Ngan Nam Tinh Su (A Thousand Years of History and Love) about the life of national hero Ly Thuong Kiet, a general who served under the Ly dynasty in the 11th and 12th centuries.
“The ups and downs of my arts career has followed 15 years of Mai Vang Awards,” Loc said, in accepting the award.
This year, awards were also given to 17 artists, troupes and TV shows in a variety of categories, including pop singers, folks singers, bands, cai luong (reformed theatre) actors, movie and TV directors and actors, fashion designers, TV hosts, theatrical director and performers, songwriters, and TV shows.
Comedian Hoai Linh, who was one of the co-hosts during Saturday’s presentation ceremony at Hoa Binh Theatre, also won two awards for Favourite Comedian and Theatrical Actor for his roles as a female fortune-teller in the comedy Cau Lac Bo Quy Ba (Ladies’ Club) and as Tu, main character in the play Da Co Hoai Lang (Nostalgia), while the Favourite Actress title was given to Cat Phuong for her work in the play Canh Dong Bat Tan (Endless Fields).
Veteran cai luong actress Le Thuy in Dem Lanh Chua Hoang (Cold Night in Desert Pagoda) and actor Kim Tu Long in Ben Pha Ky Niem (Memorial Ferry Landing) were awarded Mai Vang trophies for Favourite Cai Luong Actress and Actor.
Saturday’s other co-host, Quynh Huong, was awarded Mai Vang Favourite TV host for the programme Thay Loi Muon Noi (That’s What I Want to Say), which was voted Favourite TV Show.
“It is the first time I have received the Mai Vang Award after being nominated many times,” said Huong. “However, years of nominations demonstrate the audience’s love for me and for the show, which has become part of my flesh and blood.”
Mai Vang Award for the Favourite TV Series and Movie Director was given to Vo Viet Hung for the TV series Tinh An (Love Cases), while actor Phi Long in the TV series Ao Cuoi Thien Duong (Heaven Wedding Dress Shop) and singer-actress Thanh Ngoc in the film Ky Uc Mong Manh (Faint Memories) were honoured as Favourite Actor and Actress.
Tran Viõ My, who staged a successful live show titeld Nguoi Tinh (Lover) for singer Dam Vinh Hung, received an award for Favourite Director of a Musical Performance.
Noi Buon Me Toi (My Mom’s Sadness), composed by Minh Vy and sung by his wife, Cam Ly, brought awards for Favourite Composer and Folk Singer, while the Favourite Pop Singer awards were received by to Dam Vinh Hung and Thanh Thao.
On the 15th edition of the Mai Vang Awards, Nguoi Lao Dong was awarded the Prime Minister’s Certificate of Merit for organising the awards and contributing to the development of arts and culture over the past 15 years. — VNS