Looking Back On The 2024 Vietnam Field School Gala Screening
Blaze Gradinarova (she/her) // Contributor
Scarlett Side (she/her) // Illustrator
On October 25, with nearly 200 seats reserved, the lobby of Capilano University (CapU)’s BOSA Centre for Film & Animation buzzed with excitement. Friends and family gathered to watch the documentaries created by students who journeyed through Northern Vietnam, exploring Hạ Long Bay, Hà Nội, Ninh Bình, Pù Luông and Sa Pa.
The evening was guided by Sophie Serendip and Mick Morrill, two Motion Picture Arts (MOPA) fourth-year students as well as Vietnam Film School (VFS) 2024 participants. The opening greeting was given by Chris Bottrill, Associate VP of International at CapU who shared his experience in Vietnam helping establish Community-Based Tourism (CBT) opportunities owned by the members of Vietnam’s ethnic minority groups. His student, Chris Carnovale, was wearing a finely fitted three-piece suit from a special Vietnamese tailor. Carnovale, the heart of the VFS, is now an instructor from the School of Tourism who accompanied the students, along with Debra Rurak, a MOPA program instructor.
The speakers shared the backstory of the VFS experience to an already captivated audience, accompanied by a slideshow giving the evening’s attendees a hint of what was to come. With 22 students across various programs within CapU, Carnovale and Rurak bravely weathered elements and personalities alike, to return them safely home.
The audience was taken on a journey through Vietnam in two parts. The first screening transported them to a kitchen in Lào Cai, where they accompanied the Black Hmong women on a cooking frenzy, then braved the streets of Hà Nội to learn about the relationship between a tailor and his client of almost 20 years, who is none other than Carnovale. Viewers learned of the shocking reality of how Black Hmong women were paid mere cents for selling their hair, just so it could find its way as wigs sold in North America for hundreds of dollars. Another student showcased her accommodations over the course of the trip, leading to the documentation of a day harvesting rice in fields under the hot sun, rewarded with delicious, home-cooked food from appreciative homestay families.
The intermission provided a glimpse into Vietnamese cuisine, with a large spread of deep-fried spring rolls and treats, kindly donated by the Global Skills Opportunity Program, with door prizes provided by Anh and Chi Vietnamese Restaurant.
The second half of the evening returned viewers to Sa Pa, with a character-driven narrative about the day in the life of a homestay mom and three generations living under one roof. The theatre was immersed in the vibrant colours of country landscapes and learned the step-by-step process of batik fabric-making, a fascinating look at the rich historic and cultural ties that Black Hmong women have to their craft. Thereafter, a raw and vulnerable reflection of a student’s ancestry and a glimpse into his sketchbook was offered.
As the students and instructors gave their final bows on stage, the power of storytelling was evident, bridging cultures and fostering a deeper appreciation of the world around them. After the gala, Morrill shared his thoughts on the experience. “Going to the field school was an amazing opportunity to make friends who I would’ve never known otherwise. Across disciplines and borders, we made lifelong memories,” he said. “We not only got to experience the vibrant culture of Vietnam, but can now bring a piece of it back to share here at home.”
This trip was made possible through the generous funding of Global Skills Opportunity (GSO) supported by the Government of Canada’s Outbound Student Mobility Pilot Program to CapU. The GSO program supported all Vietnam Field School 2024 students with generous scholarships, especially supporting those from underrepresented groups, including low-income students, students with disabilities and Indigenous students. Opportunities like this offer students the experience of a lifetime and empower ethnic minority communities in how they engage with tourism, paving the way to a more ethical approach to the global tourist economy. Furthermore, GSO has also introduced Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL), a hybrid program in its early stages, recently launched between CapU students and students in Amsterdam, Scotland, Mexico, Spain and Denmark. International learning experiences are closer to home than you’d think.
Visit the Global Skills Opportunity Initiatives page on CapU’s website to learn about field school opportunities, full-term exchanges and even at-home international learning offered by Study Abroad.