World Film Festival of Bangkok October 15 - 24

[elef]

Comedy theme to mark 2nd Bangkok film extravaganza

 

Published on Aug 18, 2004

 

 

?Kings of Comedy? will be the theme of this year?s 2nd World Film Festival of Bangkok.

 

More than 80 international films will be shown at the country?s biggest independent film extravaganza, which will run from October 15 through 24 at the EGV Metropolis on Rajdamri Road. Thailand?s film industry will also use the occasion to lobby for the replacement of the government?s censorship rules with a ratings system.

 

The film festival is expected to draw more than 40,000 movie fans, said its director, Kriengsak Silakong.

 

The festival will hand out awards in a number of categories ? Latin America, Israel, Asian contemporary, world cinema, Thai and international short films, documentaries and comedies. The event will also feature a symposium on coproducing movies and the film rating system, and an exhibition of vintage films from German Film Studio UFA with support by the Goethe Institute.

 

Kriengsak invited prospective filmmakers to come and meet representatives from Fonds Sud Cinema of France and Hubert Bals Fund, both of which support independent film makers. ?It is a good opportunity for young filmmakers to seek funding by presenting their projects.?

 

Sponsors of the event include EGV Entertainment Plc, the Tourism Authority of Thailand, Thai Airways International, Thailand Post Plc, Mitsubishi Motor Corp and JVC. The event is organised by The Nation and other media of the Nation Multimedia Group.

 

Kriengsak said he hoped to attract a wide group of viewers to this year?s festival. ?Kings of Comedy? will feature among others, new versions of Charlie Chaplin?s ?Dictator?, and films by Terry Gilliam, Jackie Chan and veteran Thai comedian Dokdin Kanyamarn.

 

The festival will also celebrate the 50th anniversary of ThaiIsraeli relations and will have a special selection of films from Cuba, Argentina, Brazil, Mexico and Peru. There will also be an ?embassy night? to thank foreign missions for supporting the event.

 

The Nation