The World Film Festival 2007 Bangkok Thailand

The World Film Festival 2007 has teamed up with the EU for this year’s action packed event and the big budget epic “Genghis Khan”, a Mongolian- Japanese co-production, has been selected as the opening film.

Festival director Kriengsak "Victor" Silkakong, said the upcoming festival in October will be one of the most exciting events of the year due to the number of interesting films, special guests and activities.

This will include international and local film directors such as German director Percy Adlon, Taiwanese actress Sylvia Chang, film director Euthana Mukdasanit, plus writer Suchart Sawadsri and the 2007 Seawrite Award winner Montri Sriyong,

Among the high-lights are the Romanian film “4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days” which recently won an award at Cannes; the Taiwanese film “Help Me Eros” by Lee Kang-sheng; the Czech film “I Served the King of England” by Jiri Menzel, a leader in Czech new-wave cinema and “The Man from London” from Hungary, directed by Balar Tarr.

Victor said this year's event will be "more fun and exciting" with activities and programmes supported by sponsors including the French Embassy, the Goethe Institute and the EU in Thailand, “who truly appreciate the value of good films”.

Some 80 films in the festival have been categorised into seven sections: EU films, World Cinema, Asian Contemporary, Documentaries, Short Films, Retrospective and The Tribute.

The EU will present 20 of the best European feature films.

The Retrospective presents the work of Percy Adlon who will present “Baghdad Caf?” and his latest documentary “Orbela’s People”.

The Tribute section is being held in honour of veteran Taiwanese actress, writer and director Sylvia Chang, also known as "Chang Ai-Chi", and will feature her “Dream of Red Chamber” and “20 30 40”. There will be seven documentaries including “4 Elements” from the Netherlands, “Democracy for Sale” by Nation Channel senior producer and director Pipope Panichpak, and “Village People Radio Show” directed by Amir Mohammed and filmed in Pattani province.

A special documentary from MacGillivray Freeman Films, “The Alps” will also be screened. The film presents a majestic view of Switzerland’s natural beauty and follows the true life story of mountaineer and journalist John Harlin III, who sets out on an epic personal journey to “The Alps” that has haunted him since he was nine years old, when his father fell to his death after his rope snapped near the Eiger's summit.

“The Alps” will have its “Asian premiere” at the festival with one special screening only on Oct 26, 2007 at 7pm at the IMAX Paragon Cineplex. It will be on general release in January 2008.

The Short Films section this year features a new section “From Books to Celluloid” with Suchart Sawasdsri, a prominent writer, who returns as a film director with his debut of short films that present a “meaningful silence” in today’s chaotic society.

The 2007 Seawrite award winner Montri Sriyong has agreed to let young film-makers create short films from his poems “Loke Nai Duangta Kapachao” (The World Through My Eyes) in a competition.

14 best short films from the competition will be on screened on MCOT 2 from Dec 1-5, 2007.

Both Suchart and Montri will be speaking at the festival.

The French Embassy continues to support activities to promote film-making among young Thai directors. Two sessions will be held at the festival: “Master Class” will analyse the film “A Nos Amours” by the late French director Maurice Pialat, while the “Cultural Diversity” class will focus on films that present change and hope in different cultures.

“A Moment in June” the first production from the Produire au Sud project held at the WFF two years ago with support from the French Embassy, will be screened. O Natapol, the young Thai director, will present his debut and explain the making of the film.

The WFF will also present an honorary award to director Euthana Mukdasanit, who has been praised for bringing a new spark to the Thai film industry for his use of beauty and reality. One of his films "Peesue Lae Dokmai", which was first released in 1985, won seven national film awards including Best Picture and won best feature at the Hawaii International Film Festival in 1986. The national committee of Thai culture recommends “Peesue Lae Dokmai” as one of the best “100 films that Thai people should watch”.

The film will be screened again at the WFF followed by a discussion with Euthana.

One of the most exciting films in the festival, “Genghis Khan: To the Ends of the Earth and Sea” is a sweeping epic that follows the life and conquests of the great Mongol leader and has been selected for the Opening Night Gala on Oct 25 at Esplanade Cineplex.

“Genghis Khan” is produced by Japanese Kadokawa Productions in collaboration with Mongolian Nyamgavaa Productions to celebrate the 800th jubilee of the foundation of the Great Mongol State. With a budget of $20 million “Genghis Khan” had its world premiere in Mongolia’s capital Ulaan Baatar in April this year, and will have its Southeast Asia premiere at the World Film Festival of Bangkok.

“Genghis Khan” is directed by 69-year-old Japanese director Shinichiro Sawai, and stars Takashi Sorimachi and Korean actress Go Ah-ra. Most of film was shot in Mongolia and features more then 200 Japanese and Mongolian actors.

The World Film Festival of Bangkok 2007 is hosted by the EU, Tourism Authority of Thailand, Thai Airways International Public Company Limited, Major Cineplex Group Public Company Limited, MCOT Public Company Limited, The Nation, Nation Channel, sponsored by CAT Telecom Public Co., Ltd, Jubilee Enterprise Co.,LTD, Fujiko, Fijifilm (Thailand) Limited, Tessa Homemade Cuisine, True Move Company Limited and Siam City Cement Public Company Limited, Software Industry Promotion Agency (Public Organization) (Sipa) and Swarovski (Thailand) Limited supported by foreign embassies in Thailand, Alliance Francaise and Goethe Institut Bangkok. The media partners include art4d magazine and Happening Magazine.

The festival will be held at the Esplanade Cineplex on Ratchadaphisek Road from October 25 to November 4, 2007. Catch the “World Film Festival of Bangkok” programme on Modern Nine TV at 11 pm to 11.30 pm every Saturday until Nov 24, 2207. Tickets at Bt100 are available at the box office. For more information see worldfilmbkk.com.