Spotlight on Bangkok’s Film Festival

Curtain rises on the 7th Bangkok Film Festival, 24 to 30 September.

Now in its seventh year the curtain will rise on the annual Bangkok Film Festival, 24 to 30 September, in the heart of Bangkok’s downtown swank shopping district. The spectacular event promises to deliver more than 80 exciting films with the focus on a new generation of film makers particularly from throughout Asia.

The event is co-hosted by the Tourism Authority of Thailand and the Federation of National Film Associations of Thailand, with the gala opening set in the forecourt of the upscale Central World shopping mall.

The opening ceremony promises to be an extravagant affair reflecting classical art and Thai heritage, while the welcome dinner will be hosted near the Chao Phraya River to accentuate the city’s rich and historical ambience.

Other events and film showings will be at various venues including Paragon Cineplex, Siam Paragon Shopping Complex, SF World Cinema and Central World.

Thailand has for decades earned a reputation as superb location for shooting international movies. A Google search of movies shot on location, in part or whole, in the country confirms its popularity with over 700 examples. Its popularity as movie location has helped to ensure that the local film industry has also prospered and improved in quality.

This development is reflected in comments made recently to Hollywood’s foremost entertainment publication, Variety, which interviewed, Jareuk Kaljareuk, chairman of the Federation of National Film Associations of Thailand, who also acts as the festival director.

He said: "The Thai film industry has expanded both in its technological advances, its professional skills and its artistic development. It is ready to take its place as a leading member of the international filmmaking community."

Although still to be confirmed, the possible contenders for the Golden Kinnaree Awards, according to Variety, are: Canadian helmer Xavier Dolan's "I Killed My Mother," which won three out of four prizes at Cannes' Directors' Fortnight; Jacques Audiard's Cannes' Grand Prix winner "A Prophet"; Lukas Moodysson's thriller "Mammoth"; and "Burma VJ" by Danish documentary maker Anders Ostergaard.

The Golden Kinaree Awards will be held at Chatrium Suites, a Dusit Group hotel in Bangkok.

Popular action actor, Jean Claude Van Damme, will attend the festival. He is no stranger to Thailand having first visited the country to star in the movie, The Quest, shot on location at the Mountain Inn hotel in Mae Hong Son back in 1996. At this year’s film festival he will introduce his latest film “Until Death”.

Other international movie stars attending the event include Byung-Hun Lee, the Korean star who had a role in the blockbuster movie G.I. Joe and Armand Assante, well known for his action movies over the last two decades.

For more information, please visit www.bangkokfilm.org