A feast on film

Published on October 1, 2007

The World Film Festival of Bangkok is all set to delight cinemaphiles this year, teaming up with the European Union for a celluloid banquet that features some 80 films from more than 20 countries.

The festival, which runs from October 25 to November 24, opens with the US$20-million (Bt688- million) Japan-Mongolian co-production "Genghis Khan".

Starring Japanese heartthrob Takeshi Sorimachi as the world's best-known warrior, the film features Japanese actors and more than 5,000 Mongolian soldiers as extras. The movie, which has a Japanese soundtrack, is directed by Sawai Shinichiro and based on Morimura Seiichi's novel "The Blue Wolf: To the Ends of the Earth and Sea".

Highlights of the European Union section include the Romanian film "4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days", winner of the Palme d'Or at Cannes this year and, in tribute to the late director Ingmar Bergman, one of the Swedish director's lesser-known films, 1960's "The Devil's Eyes".

Close friend of the festival, Czech director Jiri Menzel, jets back to Bangkok to present his latest film "I Served the King of England".

In the World Film category, the festival pays tribute to German director Percy Adlon who will be bringing to Bangkok his acclaimed film "Bagdad Cafe", as well as his newest work "Orbela's People".

Other interesting screenings include the Portuguese film "Alice", written and directed by Marco Martins, which won both the Directors' Fortnight Best Picture and the Jeunes Regards awards at Cannes in 2005.

The Asian Contemporary category pays tribute to the Taiwanese grande dame Sylvia Chang, a guest of honour at this year's festival, by screening five films that showcase her directing talents, among them "Dream of Red Chamber" and "20-30-40".

The actress is affectionately known to Thai audiences as "Chang Ai-Chi" for her starring roles in the 1980s comedy franchises "Keng Kab Heng" ("Aces Go Places").

Thai veteran director Euthana Mukdasanit will be honoured with the Lifetime Achievement Award and fans will get a rare chance to see his masterpiece "Peesuea lae Dokmai" ("Butterfly and Flowers"). Based on the novel of the same name by Nippan (Makut Oradee), the film depicts the lives of Muslims at the Thai-Malaysian border through the relationship between two children. The writer will attend the screening and talk about this heart-warming tale. The film won a prize at the Hawaii International Film Festival in 1986, one of the first Thai films to receive recognition outside the Kingdom.

Taiwanese actor and director Lee Kang-Cheng also returns to Bangkok, this time to screen his latest work, "Help Me Eros" which was nominated for the Golden Lion award in Venice last month.

While the films that will be in competition have yet to be concluded, the jury has been selected and its members include Ittisoontorn Vichailak, Niwat Kongpian, Elizabeth Romhild from The Netherlands, Indian film producer Kulthep Narula and German director/cine-matographer Fred Kelemen.

Seven documentaries will be featured, the highlight being "Village People Radio Show" by Malaysian director Amir Mohammad.

Filmed in a Pattani village where retired members of the Communist Party of Malaya live in exile, the film intersperses recollections of the decades-long guerrilla war with a fictional Thai radio drama.

A special documentary from MacGillivray Freeman Films, "The Alps", will make its Asian premiere on October 26 at Paragon Cineplex. The film follows the true story of mountaineer and journalist John Harlin III, who sets out on a personal journey that has haunted him since he was nine years old, when his father fell to his death after his rope snapped near the Eiger's summit.

Underlining the link between literature and film, the festival introduces "From Books to Celluloid", featuring dozens of films that have been inspired by or adapted from novels and poetry. 

There will be a short films contest on "From Books to Celluloid", in which students are invited to interpret "Lok Nai Duangta Kapachao" ("The World through My Eyes"), a poem by this year's SEAWrite Award winner. The 14 best short films from the competition will be on screened on MCOT 2 Channel (UBC 27) from December 1 to 5.

Members of the public are invited to join a similar filmmaking project on the topic "Phor" ("Father") to celebrate the His Majesty the King's 80th birthday. For information, visit WorldFilmbkk.com or call (02) 338 3645.

The French Embassy continues to support activities to promote filmmaking among young Thai directors. Two sessions will be held at the festival: "Master Class" will analyse the film "A Nos Amours" by the late French director Maurice Pialat, while the "Cultural Diversity" class will focus on films that present change and hope in different cultures.

"A Moment in June", the first production from the Produire au Sud project held at the WFF two years ago with support from the French Embassy, will be screened. Young Thai director O Natapol, will present his debut and explain the making of the film.

The festival will be held at the Esplanade Cineplex on Ratchadaphisek Road from October 25 to November 4. Film fans can also watch the "World Film Festival of Bangkok" programme on Modernine TV from 11 to 11.30pm every Saturday through November 24. Tickets for screenings cost Bt100 and are available at the box office. For more information, visit WorldFilmbkk.com.

Parinyaporn Pajee

 The Nation