Luang Prabang Film Festival shines spotlight on regional talent
The second Luang Prabang Film Festival kicked off on Saturday featuring 25 feature-length films from around South East Asia and is scheduled to run until December 7.
The festival celebrates film-making in Southeast Asia and gives Lao people a chance to see more of what their neighbours are producing in this art form.
The government has backed the project, instituting special measures designed to facilitate film-making activities and investment in the industry. Last year's festival was a great success and organisers hope it will become a permanent institution and encourage more film-making in Laos.
The highlight of the opening was a Lao film titled “On Safer Ground” by Stuart Ryan and Hedley Dindoyal. The documentary follows a teenage football team from Laos as they travel to the Gothia Youth World Cup 2010 in Sweden.
After the screening the organisers surprised the guests by bringing the entire team, from Xieng Khuang province, onto the stage and a standing ovation followed.
The official opening ceremony was followed by a red carpet party with the appearance of VIP guests including filmmakers, directors and actors along with other figures working in the film scene at the Luang Prabang French Cultural Centre.
“Our festival last year was a huge success, so we were fortunate enough to have the opportunity to keep this project going,” said Mr Gabriel Kuperman, who is the founder and director of the festival.
“This year we are proud to be showcasing 25 feature-length films from around Southeast Asia. These movies represent the broad range of skilled filmmaking in the region, and the films were thoughtfully nominated by our Motion Picture Ambassadors, several of whom are with us today.”
“We have two venues showing the films this year: the handicraft market and also at the beautiful Amantaka just down the road. Lao short films and selections from the National Archive will also be screened at our Visitor Centre - Project Space Luang Prabang,” he said.
“There, visitors will also find exhibits by UNESCO and the Southeast Asia Movie Theatre Project, as well as images from the Gothia Cup, where much of our opening film, “On Safer Ground”, is filmed. Visitors will also have the opportunity to see films in restaurants and other businesses around town.”
Director of the Cinema Department of the Ministry of Information, Culture and Tourism, Mr Bounchao Phichit, said “The object of the Luang Prabang Film Festival is to develop and promote the growth of the film industry in Laos and to engage in other cultural exchanges with a view to promoting tourism in Laos, particularly in Luang Prabang, which is a World Heritage Site.”
The first Luang Prabang Film Festival last year encouraged film activities and promoted many quality Lao films. As a result of its success, young filmmakers are now eager to produce more films.
The festival demonstrates the good working relations between the film industries of South East Asian countries, enables the audience to view a diversity of films, and enables Lao filmmakers to learn from their regional counterparts.
The government of Laos has realised the importance of film activities. The Department of Cinema was established in 2008 to manage the film industry and promote the development of quality Lao films in response to public demand.
Films featured at the festival are “At the Horizon”, “On Safer Ground” and “Lao Wedding”.
Apart from the main festival there will also be a roadshow, which will screen a small selection of films in various provinces. These Lao-subtitled films will be shown over two-night stops.
This travelling festival will provide local communities with an opportunity to interact in an international cultural event, something they rarely have the chance to do given their socio-economic disadvantage and remote locale. This element of the festival will be organised with the support and cooperation of provincial governments and departments of information and culture.
The Luang Prabang Film Festival is organised in partnership with the Department of Cinema, the Lao Journalists' Association and UNESCO Bangkok.
