They are known as "little films" for their independent spirit and low budgets and often go ignored by audiences enamoured with Hollywood blockbusters.

But the independent flicks screened as part Bangkok's Little Big Film project, launched by Mongkok Major Company, an affiliate of Sahamongkol Films Company, nine years ago, are gaining an increasingly large following.

This year's programme kicks off on August 31 at the Lido Multiplex with five films focusing on the concept "Oh, What a Love!" Each movie gets a run of two weeks.

Getting the ball rolling is the critically acclaimed "Me and You and Everyone We Know", the directorial debut of multi-talented artist Miranda July who directs, writes and also plays in the movie.

The film won a Special Jury Price in the drama category at the Sundance Film Festival as well as the Grand Prize at last year's International Critic's Week, a competition that runs in parallel with the Cannes International Film Festival.

Spanish film "Queens" is a delicious take on the country's first gay wedding.

From Denmark comes "A Soap", the debut film of director Pernille Fischer Christensen. The 37-year-old Christensen made a name for herself in 2000, when her graduation film "India" won the Cine Fondation's third prize at  Cannes.

The fourth film is Japan's "Blue", a tale of same-sex infatuation at an exclusive high school.

The LBP project wraps with Australian film "Candy" starring Heath Ledger and Abbie Cornish from "Somersault", which won her the Best Actress award from the Australian Film Institute.

"Candy" is the cinematic debut of theatre director Neil Armfield and was the closing film at this year's Hong Kong International Film Festival.

Blue

Directed by Hiroshi Ando, "Blue" follows schoolgirls Kayako Kirishima (Mikako Ichikawa) and Masami Endo (Manami Konishi), who find that they share something more than just friendship. Kayako, who has been involved with a boy, is surprised at the depth of her feelings for Endo.

Their feelings for one another are put to the test when Endo goes to visit a former boyfriend and Kayako is left on her own.

Me and You and Everyone We Know

Writer-director Miranda July stars as Christine, an offbeat performance artist who becomes instantly smitten with Richard (John Hawkes), a brooding department-store shoe salesman.

The divorced Richard has a problem with two teenage kids - the shy, private Peter (Miles Thompson) and the very funny Robby (Brandon Ratcliff). Natasha Slayton and Najarra Townsend are a riot as a pair of teenagers who think they're ready for sex as they tease neighbourhood pervert Andrew (Brad Henke) and consider experimenting with Peter.

A Soap

When 32-year-old Charlotte moves away from her boyfriend, she becomes the upstairs neighbour of the transsexual Veronica. Veronica prefers to keep to herself with just her little dog and a romantic soap show on TV for company, while Charlotte gets through the small hours with one-night stands.

An assault, a new bed and some white curtains bring the two of them together and they end up as the main characters in their own turbulent love story.

Candy

Based on Luke Davies' critically acclaimed best-seller of the same name, "Candy" is a convention-defying romantic tragedy depicting Dan, a charming poet who falls hard for Candy (Abbie Cornish) - an art student who has an interest in the bohemian lifestyle Dan follows.

Candy really wants to be accepted and goes as far as to shoot up heroin to prove herself to Dan. Ultimately their mutual addiction to heroin takes on a huge role in their romantic relationship. The film also stars Geoffrey Rush as Casper, a wealthy businessman who looks out for Dan and Candy.

Queens

A hilarious, comedy that finds five headstrong mothers coping with the personal family conflicts surrounding the impending marriages of their gay sons. It stars Verónica Forqué , Carmen Maura and Marisa Paredes.

Parinyaporn Pajee

The Nation