Bangkok International Film Festival (BKKIFF) is set to return from September 13-27 with Thai filmmaker Sompot Chidgasornpongse’s Cannes title 9 Temples To Heaven as the opening film. The Talad Nang film market will take place from September 22-24.
Princess Ubolratana Rajakanya Sirivadhana Barnavadi will preside over the opening of the red carpet gala, which will be held at high-end shopping complex Iconsiam near the Chao Phraya River.
9 Temples To Heaven follows a middle-class family who travel to nine temples to gain merits with the hope that it could prolong their grandmother’s life. It was produced by acclaimed Thai auteur Apichatpong Weerasethakul for his long-time assistant director Sompot.
“It is a unique Thai story but has an appeal that global audiences can relate to,” BKKIFF festival director Donsaron Kovitvaniycha told Screen. “The film has been a success since its world premiere at Cannes’ Directors Fortnight and is now travelling to many festivals around the globe. It is a perfect film to open this year’s BKKIFF.”
The film is supported by the Department of Cultural Promotion (DCP) of the Ministry of Culture. BKKIFF is also supported by the same government agencies.
The announcement was made at a press conference on Thursday evening (August 13).
BKKIFF’s competitive sections will comprise an international competition and a New Voice competition for rising Asian filmmakers. Each will have 12-15 titles, and the full lineup will be unveiled in the coming weeks.
The Thai Panorama section, which handed out audience awards last year, will be dropped. A new addition is the best ASEAN film award, which will be presented to a Southeast Asian film from any section.
The festival will pay tribute to veteran Thai producer Visute Poolvoralaks with a retrospective of rarely seen films produced by Tai Entertainment – one of three heavyweight companies that established joint venture GMM Tai Hub (GTH) in 2004.
BKKIFF has appointed actors Ananda Everingham (Shutter, Khun Phan franchise) and Bhumibhat Thavornsiri (In Youth We Trust, Netflix series Tomorrow And I) as ambassadors for the upcoming edition.
Aside from screenings, BKKIFF will host the Talad Nang film market from September 22-24 at Siam Paragon. It will be presented in a different format, focusing on a business matching programme between international buyers and local Thai companies, instead of running market booths like last year.
It will also host a project market, comprising around seven Thai and 10 Asian projects.
Location tours will be offered to international guests to explore potential filming locations and studio facilities.
BKKIFF was revived last year, returning for the first time since 2009.
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