POLL 67: VIEWS FROM THE THAI AVANT-GARDE

POLL 67: VIEWS FOR THE THAI AVANT-GARDE

My poll 67 is inspired by many Thai experimental short films I saw this year. I'm very glad that this year many Thai filmmakers make experimental films, avant-garde films, strange films, non-narrative films, or uncategorizable films. And I hope the number of these Thai filmmakers will keep on increasing.

However, I'm not the kind of people who think categorizing is important or should be taken seriously. I don't know exactly what the definition of experimental films or avant-garde films is. I make the list below just by thinking that the films in the list are like some old experimental films.

Though the films in the list may be called experimental or avant-garde, I have never judged their values by considering whether they present something new to the world of cinema or not, because I don't know much about cinema history, or what kinds of films were made in the past. More importantly, I don't go to see films with the hope that they would show me something totally new. I go to see films with the hope that the films would give me some pleasures. Thus, I love the films in the list below very much, because they give me enormous pleasures. The fact that they don't present something new or the fact that they may or may not be really experimental is actually not important for me at all.

The title of this poll comes from the festival VIEWS FROM THE AVANT-GARDE in New York City.
http://filmlinc.com/nyff/program/avantgarde/avantgarde.html

There are six films in the list which can be viewed freely online and don't need subtitles, because the films are non-narrative. So I hope people everywhere can watch these films and participate in this poll. :-)

These six films are THE BUTTERFLY EFFECT, I OPEN AT THE CLOSE, LISTENING, PHANTOMS OF NABUA, SUMMER STORM, and WAKE UP TIME.


I LOVE THESE RECENT THAI EXPERIMENTAL FILMS VERY MUCH. WHICH ONES DO YOU LIKE?

1.THE BUTTERFLY EFFECT (พายุผีเสื้อ) (2009, Wiwat Lertwiwatwongsa)
You can watch the film here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YhXp3J8zbjY
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fPHUf6nS5wQ
My video comment in Thai on this film
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Hg7OzYJv6A

2.COLOURS ON THE STREETS (2009, Weerapong Wimuktalop)
http://celinejulie.blogspot.com/2009/08/some-trivia-about-weerapong-wimuktalop.html

3.FALLING RAIN (วันฝนโปรย) (2009, Chalermrat Kaweewattana)

4.FARMER (2009, Sudsiri Pui-ock)
Another film of Sudsiri Pui-ock, called PARALLEL; THE DAWN, THE DAY, THE DUSK, THE DARK, will be shown in the World Film Festival of Bangkok 2009.
http://www.worldfilmbkk.com/films/111/Guts-Short-Programme-1.html

I saw FARMER at DOB gallery early this year.
http://www.ardelgallery.com/html/detail_exhibition.php?id=34
Merveillesxx wrote about Sudsiri's exhibition here:
http://www.bloggang.com/viewdiary.php?id=merveillesxx&month=03-2009&date=10&group=9&gblog=169

5.HAPPY TOGETHER (กาลครั้งหนึ่งคิดถึงวันวาน) (2009, Sittipong Patchakow)

6.I OPEN AT THE CLOSE (2009, Supakit Seksuwan)
You can watch the film here:
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-6891688715636521784

7.LISTENING (2008, Skarin Gunkhan)
You can watch this film here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xf6Y7VDKVPg

8.MAN AND GRAVITY: PLATEAU (2009, Jakrawal Nilthamrong)
Jakrawal's film will be shown in the World Film Festival of Bangkok 2009.
http://www.worldfilmbkk.com/films/111/Guts-Short-Programme-1.html

9.ONE NIGHT (คืนหนึ่ง) (2009, Zart Tancharoen)
Another film of Zart, called LOST NATION, will be screened in the World Film Festival of Bangkok 2009.
http://www.worldfilmbkk.com/films/7/Lost-Nation.html

10.PHANTOMS OF NABUA (2009, Apichatpong Weerasethakul)
You can watch this film here:
http://www.animateprojects.org/films/by_date/2009/phantoms
Filmsick wrote about this film in Fuse magazine, issue 30, July 2009.

11.POISON 2.7: WHY GOING TO BIG C (ยาพิษ 2.7: ทำไมต้องไปบิ๊กซี) (2009, Eakarach Monwat)
You can watch the film in the link below, but the film is in Thai without subtitles:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dnfZJxw1GBY

12.POLITICALLY LAWYER AND NARRATIVE CINEMA (ฆาตกรรรมสวาท ประหลาดน่านฟ้า ทำให้คนหายตัวไป) (2009, Chaloemkiat Saeyong)
http://celinejulie.blogspot.com/2009/07/politically-lawyer-and-narrative-cinema.html
My Thai video comment for this film:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sPYIdyTjQ8Q
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z4X-7f-xB-Q

13.POPULAR (สมัยนิยม) (2009, Korn Kanogkekarin)

14.PULSATILE MASS (2009, Nok Paksnavin)

15.SHORTCUT TO HEAVEN (ทางลัดขึ้นสวรรค์) (2008, Phaisit Phanphruksachart)

16.SUMMER STORM (2009, Tossapol Boonsinsukh)
You can watch the film here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z6brba_J3e8

17.SWEETHEART GARDEN (มธุรส) (2009, Tanatchai Bandasak)

18.WAKE UP TIME (ตื่นสมัย) (2009, Chaiwat Wiansantia)
You can watch the film here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uYlE9nS9smM
Filmsick's comment on this film:
http://filmsick.exteen.com/20090721/marathon-diary-18-19-7-52


19.WHISPERING GHOSTS (2008, Taiki Sakpisit)
This film will be shown again on Nov 1 in the Taiki Sakpisit retrospective. You can read the details of this event in the link below:
http://thirdclasscitizen.exteen.com/20091022/third-class-cinema-017-the-portrait-of-ghosts-taiki-sakpisit
(The photos below come from Bioscope webboard)
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2793/4054982712_a66f42679e_o.jpg
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2454/4054982718_4b495de911_o.jpg
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3510/4054982720_fefcc660ef_o.jpg

Filmsick's comment on this film:
http://filmsick.exteen.com/20090721/marathon-diary-18-19-7-52


20.WRONGDOER (2009, Pongpattana Puangkwamsook)

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