Bangkok Experimental Film Festival (BEFF5)

A co-production between the Thai Film Foundation, independent arts organization Project 304, and Kick the Machine, this year’s festival (BEFF 5) will focus on new work by Thai artists, although some international work will also be featured.

The theme of the festival, ‘The More Things Change’, will explore the cycles – economic, natural, political, and spiritual – that are shaping life in the 21st century.

26 Mar 08 - 28 Mar 08, Esplanade Cineplex (Core program base)
4th Floor
Ratchadapisek Road
MRT: Thailand Cultural Centre
Tel: +66 (0)86 311 6062 (Organizer, Thai and English)

Source: thaiasiatoday.com

‘The more things change …’

Announcing the 5th Bangkok Experimental Film Festival (BEFF 5)

The Bangkok Experimental Film Festival has announced it will stage its fifth program (BEFF 5) in March, 2008. BEFF is a co-production by Kick the Machine, the Thai Film Foundation, and independent arts organization Project 304.

BEFF was first held in 1997 to address the lack of local platforms for filmmakers working beyond mainstream conventions and the limitations of market concerns. Since then, it has played a pivotal role in the invigoration of Bangkok’s independent film community, exposing innovative work by video artists, animators and experimental filmmakers.

BEFF 5 will focus on new work by Thai artists, though some international work will also be featured. The program, entitled ‘The more things change …’, will explore the cycles – natural, spiritual, political and economic – that shape life in the 21st Century. Curator David Teh says, “Experimental film can highlight the connections between the ordinary and the extraordinary, between public and private, between everyday life and the big picture of society.”

The BEFF 5 announcement comes amid debate about the relevance and regulation of local screen culture. A government official recently called Thai audiences ‘uneducated’, suggesting that they were only interested in lightweight comedy. This view does not fit with the breadth and depth of Thai screen culture, which wins awards and acclaim worldwide – not just in advertising and mainstream film, but also in independent and non-commercial fields. BEFF 5 will tap the wealth of experimental screen culture produced in Thailand, and present it to a wider audience in Bangkok and other Thai cities, and overseas. Past BEFF programs have toured to the US, Europe, Singapore and Australia.

BEFF 5 aims to stimulate all levels of the industry, from filmmakers and cinephiles to students and the general public. According to BEFF’s directors, “BEFF 5 is about the promotion and creative development of Thai art and culture. It will be a hot-spot linking filmmakers, the arts community, and the public.”

Source: kickthemachine.com

Thanks: Travel Gateway to Thailand. Hotels Flights Vacations Booking.