It’s now open! The 8th Bangkok ASEAN Film Festival presents the finest selection of 25 films from ASEAN countries plus Korea, Hong Kong and India, with free admission from January 20 to 25, 2023.

It’s now open! The 8th Bangkok ASEAN Film Festival presents the finest selection of 25 films from ASEAN countries plus Korea, Hong Kong and India, with free admission from January 20 to 25, 2023. The festival is ready to drive Thailand to become the film hub of Southeast Asia and to promote Soft Power and Thailand’s creative economy to the region and the international film community.

January 20, 2023: Minister of Culture Itthiphol Khunpluem presides over the opening of the 8th Bangkok ASEAN Film Festival 2023 at Infinity Hall, Paragon Cineplex. Also present are Permanent Secretary for the Ministry of Culture, Yupha Taweewattanakitborvon, as well as the executives of the ministry, diplomats, members of the National Board of Film and Video, executives of the Federation of Motion Pictures and Content Associations, Major Cineplex Group, and members of the press.  The opening film is “Ajoomma”, directed by He Shuming, a Singapore-Korea co-production that has toured film festivals around the world.

Mr. Itthiphol says: “The Culture Ministry has worked with state and private sector to organize the 8th Bangkok ASEAN Film Festival from January 20 to 245, 2023, at Paragon Cineplex and SF Word Cinema. The festival aims to drive Thailand’s film industry according to Phase 3 of the Strategic Film and Video Promotion Plan (2017-2023), which focuses on using the cultural dimension to promote international relations, bring incomes to the country, and pushes for Bangkok to become the film hub of ASEAN. The festival presents a great opportunity for Thai film professionals to take up the government’s policy of pushing Thailand’s Soft Power and creative economy, to move Thai and regional film communities towards international recognition.

The Minister says: “The festival will screen 25 films from ASEAN countries as well as from Korea, Hong Kong and India. Every film will have both Thai and English subtitles. The films are divided into different programs as follows: Showcase: ASEAN Plus is made up from five films, namely 1. “Ajoomma” (Singapore and South Korea) 2. “Before, Now & Then” (Indonesia) 3. “Children of the Mist” (Vietnam) 4. “Glorious Ashes” (Vietnam/France/Singapore) and 5. “The Novelist’s Film” (South Korea). Hong Kong Film In Focus presents three films, supported by Create Hong Kong: 1. “Hand Rolled Cigarette” 2. “A Light Never Goes Out” and 3. “Lost Love”.

 

ASEAN Short Film Competition presents short films from the region. A panel of three judges will decide on three awards, Best ASEAN Short Film (a trophy and US$ 2,000 cash prize), Jury Prize (a trophy and US$ 1,000 cash prize) and Special Mention (a trophy and US$ 500 cash prize). The films are 1. “After Taste” (Vietnam) 2. “All the Things You Leave Behind” (Thailand) 3. “Dreaming” (Singapore) 4. “Evening Clouds” (Myanmar) 5. “Further and Further Away” (Cambodia) 6. “Grandma’s Broken Leg” (Vietnam) 7. “Muda Wae” (Myanmar) 8. “Please Hold the Line” (Malaysia) 9. “Ride to Nowhere” (Indonesia) 10. “Rocks in a Windless Wadi” (the Philippines) 11. “Shallots and Garlic” (Indonesia/Canada) 12. “Smoke Gets In Your Eyes” (Singapore) 13. “Sound of the Night” (Cambodia) 14. “A Worm, Whatever Will Be, Will Be” (Malaysia). Lastly, the ASEAN Classic section screen three films curated by Thai Film Archive (Public Organization) 1. “Itim” (the Philippines) 2. “Thamp” (India) 3. “Konjorn” (Thailand).”

The festival will also host SEAPITCH: Southeast Asian Project Pitch, with eight film projects selected to join the workshop by internationally well-known mentors. The finalists will pitch their projects before a panel of experts, and three awards will be given out: SEAPITCH Award, with US$ 5,000 cash prize, Runner-Up Prize, with US$ 3,000 cash prize, and Special Mention, with US$ 2,000 cash prize. The awards will be announced at the closing ceremony on January 25, 2023 at SF World, CentralWorld.

The public can reserve seating at www.baff.go.th and   www.facebook.com/BangkokAseanFilmFestival  One login for one ticket only. Tickets can be collected at the cinema 30 minutes prior to the screening. Call 02-209-3519 or go to www.facebook.com/BangkokAseanFilmFestival for updates.