POLL 70: EU FILM FESTIVAL GREATEST HITS

My poll 70 is inspired by the European Union Film Festival, which has been held in Bangkok every year during the past 18 years. I started attending it in 1996. The films shown in this festival are "moderately good". Some films are excellent, while several films are very bad. I guess the reason why some bad films are chosen to be shown in this festival is because some European embassies don't know much about film aesthetics.

The EU FILM FESTIVAL this year is very disappointing for two main reasons. Firstly, it was hit by many technical glitches or technical failures at SF World Cinema. Secondly, most films are shown by using substandard DVDs, which make the picture look very poor. However, the qualities of the films are still acceptable. So I hope the festival will still be held every year, and I prayer that many problems occurring this year won't be repeated again.

One trend emerges clearly from the EU FILM FESTIVAL this year— many Eastern European films are great, while many Western European films suck.


THESE GREAT FILMS WERE SHOWN IN THE EU FILM FESTIVALS IN BANGKOK. WHICH ONES DO YOU LIKE?

1.AMBUSH (1999, Olli Saarela, Finland)

2.THE BACHELOR (1997, Nikos Panayotopoulos, Greece)
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0123059/

3.BLIND SPOT (2002, Hanna Antonina Wojcik-Slak, Slovenia)
Merveillesxx wrote in Thai about BLIND SPOT here:
http://www.bloggang.com/viewdiary.php?id=merveillesxx&month=06-2005&date=02&group=1&gblog=65

4.BRIGHT YOUNG THINGS (2003, Stephen Fry, UK)
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0325123/

5.BYE BYE BLACKBIRD (2005, Robinson Savary, Luxembourg)

6.THE CARRIERS ARE WAITING (1999, Benoit Mariage, Belgium)
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0201538/

7.THE CHERRY PICK (1996, Arno Kranenborg, Netherlands)

8.THE COLLECTRESS (2008, Kristina Buozyte, Lithuania)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5cNVfsL3TA8
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2629/4156758919_e2d5282796_o.jpg
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2659/4156758913_8cf1be9288_o.jpg
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2538/4156758911_96623739b6_o.jpg

9.ELVIS AND MARILYN (1998, Armando Manni, Italy)
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0140018/

10.FALLEN (2005, Fred Kelemen, Latvia)
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0470840/
http://celinejulie.blogspot.com/2007/12/filmsicks-review-of-krisana-fallen.html

11.FEAR OF HEIGHTS (1994, Houchang Allahyari, Austria)
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0110085/

12.GLORIA (1999, Manuela Viegas, Portugal)

13.HEAVEN AND HELL (1988, Morten Arnfred, Denmark)

14.IL CAPITANO (1991, Jan Troell, Sweden)
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0101542/
Pol Payab wrote in Thai about EVERLASTING MOMENTS, which is directed by Jan Troell, here:
http://www.bloggang.com/mainblog.php?id=aloneagain&month=30-11-2009&group=1&gblog=111

15.LOVE STORIES (1997, Jerzy Stuhr, Poland)
Utis Haemamool wrote in Thai about this film in the book 151 CINEMA.

16.MONKEYS IN WINTER (2006, Milena Andonova, Bulgaria)
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2562/4156758909_cbf6efdc2b_b.jpg

17.PLEASANT DAYS (2002, Kornel Mundruczo, Hungary)

18.SCHULTZE GETS THE BLUES (2003, Michael Schorr, Germany)
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0388395/

19.THE SEA AND THE WEATHER (EL MAR Y EL TIEMPO) (1989, Fernando Fernan Gomez, Spain)

20.SILENT WEDDING (2008, Horatiu Malaele, Romania)
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2532/4156758921_bf8a053ab0_o.jpg

You can cast multiple votes.

I made this poll by trying to cover every year of the EU FILM FESTIVAL since 1996.

In 1996, I saw HEAVEN AND HELL and THE SEA AND THE WEATHER.

In 1997 I saw FEAR OF HEIGHTS.

In 1998 I saw IL CAPITANO and THE BACHELOR.

In 1999 I saw THE CHERRY PICK.

In 2000 I saw AMBUSH.

In 2001 I saw GLORIA and ELVIS AND MARILYN.

In 2002 I saw THE CARRIERS ARE WAITING.

In 2003 I saw LOVE STORIES.

In 2004 I saw BRIGHT YOUNG THINGS.

In 2005 I saw SCHULTZE GETS THE BLUES, PLEASANT DAYS, and BLIND SPOT.

In 2006 I saw BYE BYE BLACKBIRD.

In 2007 I saw FALLEN.

In 2008 I saw MONKEYS IN WINTER.

In 2009 I saw THE COLLECTRESS and SILENT WEDDING.