Despite current political unrest in Thailand, the Bangkok International Film Festival (BKIFF) will kick off as planned on Sept 23 with a screening of Woody Allen's Vicky Christina Barcelona.

Thai director Nonzee Nimibutr's Queens Of Langkasuka will mark the launch of the Thailand Entertainment Expo (TEE) with a red carpet gala screening on Sep 26. Organised by the Department of Export Promotion, TEE is a new market for film, television, animation and music which is set to run Sept 24-28.

The BKIFF, which is managed by the Thai Directors' Association and Thai Film Federation with the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) taking a back-seat, will screen around 80 films, including two competition sections.

The international competition, which focuses first or second time directors, feature ten films including Jose Padilha's The Elite Squad from Brazil, Parking from Taiwanese director Chung Mong-hong and Those Three from Iranian filmmaker Naghi Nemati (see full list below).

The nine-film South-East Asia competition features Singapore director Royston Tan's 12 Lotus, Malaysian director Woo Ming-jing's Days Of Turquoise Sky and three films from the Philippines including Brillante Mendoza's Serbis.

Other sections include a 20-title World Cinema section, South-East Asian panorama, Thai panorama, a documentary showcase and a special section called 'Made In Thailand' that features Cannes title Soi Cowboy.

Programme: Main Competition

1. The Elite Squad (Brazil)

2. Jay (Philippines)

3. Frozen (India)

4. Those Three (Iran)

5. Autumn (Turkey)

6. The Shaft (China)

7. Rumba (Belgium)

8. Alice In The Land (Chile)

9. Parking (Taiwan)

10. PVC-1 (Colombia)

Programme: South-East Asian Competition

1. Serbis (Philippines)

2. The Little Heart (Vietnam)

3. The Photograph (Indonesia)

4. Days Of Turquoise Sky (Malaysia)

5. Breathing In Mud (Malaysia)

6. Love Of Siam (Thailand)

7. 12 Lotus (Singapore)

8. Now Showing (Philippines)

9. Years When I Was A Child Outside (Philippines)

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