Thai me up, Thai me down

Often dubbed the New York of the East, Bangkok is an exciting city of extreme contrasts. Opulent high-rise buildings nestle alongside traditional Buddhist temples. Elephants sashay past upmarket stores like Channel and Louis Vuitton in the hope of earning a few Baht from passing tourists. Young people in designer clothes carry the latest gadgetry, yet bow and offer you the traditional Buddhist greeting. It was the perfect backdrop to the city’s 4th International Film Festival, which concluded on 27th February. 180 films were screened over 10 days and the line up was as eclectically diverse as the vibrant city itself. Here are a few of the highlights.

Twelve films competed in the international dramatic category for Best Picture, including recent Oscar nominees, Mrs Henderson Presents and Transamerica, but director Deepa Mehta’s socio-political epic Water scooped the top prize. It’s a deserved win given the troubled history of the production, which included Hindu extremists burning sets and making death threats against the director, but its easy to see why Mehta persevered. Water tells the story of an eight-year-old Hindu widow who is sent to an ashram where she is to spend the rest of her life atoning for the sins of her late husband. It’s an emotionally powerful film and easily the director’s best work to date.

Istanbul Tales also competed in this category and received a special Jury Mention “In Recognition of
Excellence”. Shot as a single story in five chapters with five directors, each chapter references a classic fairy tale. It’s a charming fable that lets the city tell its own narrative and despite the plurality of directors, it’s a surprisingly unified vision that has been beautifully constructed.

David LaChapelle’s Rize took out Best Documentary. It’s an engaging film about a groundbreaking dance phenomenon exploding on the streets of South Central LA and the positive influence the music has on local kids. By the time the film culminates in the big Battlezone dance competition, you’ll find yourself shaking your thang in the aisles along with everyone else.

Two documentaries that received Honorable mentions by the Jury were Ballets Russes by director’s Dan Geller and Dayna Goldfine which is a fascinating portrait of a group of pioneering artist, now in their 70’s, 80’s and 90’s who gave birth to modern ballet. In the Shadow of the Palms by Australian Wayne Coles-Janess is a deeply moving account of ordinary Iraqis at work and at play in the weeks before the allied invasion in March 2003. This was filmed at considerable personal risk to Coles-Janess and the result is one of the most authentic snapshots of Iraqi life you are likely to see.

Best ASEAN Film went to Vietnamese brother and sister team Doan Minh Phuong and Doan Thanh Nghia for Bride of Silence. Set in pre-colonial Vietnam the film is a romantic drama about one man’s search for his past. Sheer beauty alone would win this film awards, but it’s also a compelling tale of oppression, sexual jealousy and justice.

Lower City (Cidade Biaxa) by Sergio Machado is another film to watch out for in coming months. Machado was Walter Salles (Motorcycle Diaries) AD and in return Salles produces Machdo’s first feature. The tale revolves around three desperate people who dream of a better life in the slums of Salvador. It’s gritty, raw and utterly compelling. Machado is clearly another Latin American talent to keep an eye on.

Best Director went to Park Chan-wook for Sympathy for Lady Vengence, a ghoulish revenge tale about a 19-year-old girl who is charged with the murder and abduction of a six-year-old boy (it’s the final part of a trilogy which includes Sympathy for Mr Vengeance and Old Boy). Felicity Huffman clocked up yet another award for her transformative performance in Transamerica and Best Actor went to Presley Cawqeneyagae for his powerful portrayal of a gang member’s ghetto existence in Tsotsi.

But the festival wasn’t all about spending long hours in darkened theatres. There were directing master classes with Hollywood veterans such as Terry Gilliam, Oliver Stone and our own Bruce Beresford. The Conversations With series included an intimate chat with 84-year-old Christopher Lee along with king of the B Grade movie Roger Corman, who entertained and enthralled the audience with his tales from Hollywood and French icon Catherine Deneuve, was honoured with the Lifetime Achievement Award. Despite a few hiccups, (like a lack of Thai subtitles for foreign language films) the quality and range of the cinematic smorgasbord on offer demonstrates that despite its youth the BKKIFF is on track to becoming one of THE events on the international film festival circuit.

Gaynor Flynn

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Bangkok International Film Festival - a wrap