Cinema Symposium, created in 2002 by Vietnamese American Arts & Letters Association (VAALA) and Vietnamese Language & Culture (VNLC), is held every other year at UCLA to create a network between Vietnamese American professionals working in the film industry and students with an interest in film and the Vietnamese culture. Alternating biannually with the Vietnamese International Film Festival (ViFF), Cinema Symposium seeks to promote works that are by or about Vietnamese Americans. The event also highlights the achievements of professionals in front of and behind the camera. Their accomplishments in this highly competitive industry help pave the way for other Vietnamese Americans and are an inspiration to many in the community at large. This year’s Cinema Symposium will be hosted at UCLA in Spring 2012. Check back later for updates and see http://www.vaala.org/ for more information!

Founded in 2003, the Vietnamese International Film Festival (ViFF) is a biennial event presented jointly by Vietnamese Language and Culture (VNLC) and the Vietnamese American Arts and Letters Association (VAALA), showcasing the talent of Vietnamese filmmakers from around the world. Over the course of eight days, this festival presents a wide range of short and feature-length films that celebrate the Vietnamese narrative and provide important perspectives on issues facing people of Vietnamese heritage today. ViFF attracts over 4000 attendees from all over the world. The fifth annual Vietnamese International Film Festival took place in April 2011, with showings in UC Irvine, UCLA, and Westminster, CA. ViFF will next take place in 2013. To learn more, go to http://www.vietfilmfest.com/!