At the closing ceremony of Bangkok ASEAN Film Festival, a Cambodian film wins Best ASEAN Short Film Award while a Thai short wins the Jury Prize and a Malaysian work wins the Special Mention. Two Filipino projects win SEAPITCH Award and the Special Mentio

At the closing ceremony of Bangkok ASEAN Film Festival, a Cambodian film wins Best ASEAN Short Film Award while a Thai short wins the Jury Prize and a Malaysian work wins the Special Mention. Two Filipino projects win SEAPITCH Award and the Special Mention, while a Thai project wins the Runner-Up Prize. The festival concludes with an impressive audience turnout, as the Ministry of Culture celebrates the success of building international relations and gears up to promote Thailand as the film hub of Asia.

January 25, 2023: At SF Cinema CentralWorld, Minister of Culture Itthiphol Khunpluem presides over the closing ceremony of the 8th Bangkok ASEAN Film Festival 2022 and gives out awards to winners of ASEAN Short Film Competition and SEAPITCH: Southeast Asian Project Pitch. 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, Thai and international filmmakers and distinguished guests from state and private sector.

Mr. Itthiphol says: “The government and the Culture Ministry have collaborated with the Federation of Motion Pictures and Content Associations to organize the 8th Bangkok ASEAN Film Festival from January 20 to 245, 2023, at Paragon Cineplex and SF Word Cinema. The festival presents a great opportunity for film professions in Thailand and the region to partner and revitalize the industry in a sustainable fashion. The festival is an attempt 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 Asia. The Bangkok ASEAN Film Festival has screened 25 films from ASEAN countries plus from Korea, Hong Kong and India. The screenings attracted a large number of audience throughout the festival.

“I’m happy to see the collaboration between state and private sector, domestic and international. Most importantly, we have collaborated with Create Hong Kong (CreateHK) to present three Hong Kong films and to launch Hong Kong-Asian Film Collaboration Funding Scheme, which the Hong Kong government has set up to support coproduction projects worth up to HK$ 9 million per film (around 38 million baht). The scheme will award eight co-production films from around Asia. Moreover, the festival strengthens the relations between Thailand and other ASEAN members and facilitates cultural exchange among one another, while also promoting tourism and regional economy.”

Mr. Itthiphol concludes with the list of winners: “For ASEAN Short Film Competition, the Best ASEAN Short Film goes to “Further and Further Away”, directed by Polen Ly from Cambodia, who receives a trophy and a US$ 2,000 cash prize. The Jury Prize goes to “All the Things You Leave Behind”, directed by Chanasorn Chaitkittiporn from Thailand, who receives a trophy and a US$ 1,000 cash prize. The Special Mention goes to “Dreaming”, directed by Nelson Yeo from Singapore, who receives a trophy and a US$ 500 cash prize.  The festival also organized SEAPITCH: Southeast Asian Project Pitch, with eight film projects from around the region selected into the final round, where they attended workshops with internationally well-known mentors in pitching and project presentation. The winner of SEAPITCH award is The Boy and the Fight of Spiders, by Jarell Serencio from the Philippines, who will receive a trophy and a US$ 5,000 cash prize. The Runner-Up Prize goes to Saddest Princess on Planet No.4, by Aim-ai Pholpitak from Thailand, who will receive a trophy and a US$3,000 cash prize. The Special Mention goes to Rookie, by Samantha Lee from the Philippines, who will receive a trophy and a US$, 2,000 cash prize.”