People asked me questions about Brighton and my film work. So I thought it’d be a good idea to publish a piece that I wrote from my old blog “This Is Brighton” in 2008.
… I moved from London to Brighton in the summer of 2008. I fell in love with it the first time when Rehearsals, a film I produced, was screened here. The moment I got out of the station, hearing the seagulls, breathing the fresh air, walking down the hilly streets, meandering the charming lanes as the waters appeared and disappeared behind the buildings, I said to myself “when I leave London, I’ll move down here”. I have never looked back since!
- The “Cresent” Sun Setting Over West Piers
Brighton is quite unique. It has got the energy of the city, the freedom of the sea, the tranquility of green spaces and the beautiful countryside. It is vibrant, multicultural and diverse. I like the fact that it is the gay centre of Europe as it tells me how open-minded and tolerant the people are. I love it even more when I discover a lot of spiritual practices and activities. People are generally friendly with many interesting characters. Some may think they are odd; I think they are spirited.
Like any other inner city, there are social problems in Brighton: drink, drugs, unemployment… But then there is a foray of social and community activities to help deal with the problems. The city centre and the beach can be crowded with many tourists and noisy with hen and stag parties. However, I personally find these elements make the city all the more interesting and lively. I give credit to the council for making creativity the heart of the city attracting thousands of writers, artists, performers, musicians, actors and creative professions to live and work here.
Brighton is a treasure trove of things to do and places to go: the Royal Pavilion, the seaside fun, the pebble beach. There’s so much going on all year round from beachfront sports, outdoors events to community activities. Brighton has it all: clubs, dance, music, theatre, film, kid activities, mind, body, spirit workshops and the arts.
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ABOUT ME:
I am a filmmaker. For the last fifteen years, I have made documentaries for British and international broadcasts, from being a researcher and production manager to producer and director in highly acclaimed films such as Guerilla War – People’s Century, Rehearsals, My Hanoi. I produced a number of films with director Michael Grigsby. I am also exploring other horizons as an artist. Above all, I aspire to build a spiritual community for peace and harmony through the Art of Mindful Living with love, compassion and understanding.
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Lotus Loan-Thu’ Nguyen (aka Thu Nguyen)
