THAI FILMMAKER DREAM TEAMS

THAI FILMMAKER DREAM TEAMS:

I just enjoy imagining what would happen if some Thai filmmakers make some films together.

1.Teerani Siangsanoh + Tanatchai Bandasak + Sasithorn Ariyavicha

2.Wachara Kanha + Chakrit Onnom + Phaisit Phanphruksachat

3.Tani Thitiprawat + Sereeroj Jayaphon + Thitimon Mongkolsawat

4.Ratchapoom Boonbunchachoke + Chaloemkiat Saeyong + Chulayarnnon Siriphol

5.Authawut Boonyuang + Atthapon Pamakho + Michael Shaowanasai

6.Piyaphong Phakuntod + Janenarong Sirimaha + Tanwarin Sukkhapisit

7.Suphisara Kittikunarak + Nisarat Komsup + Proudmary Songmuang

8.Prap Boonpan + Manussak Dokmai + The Underground Office

9.Taiki Sakpisit + Chaiwat Wiansantia + Wiwat Lertwiwatwongsa

10.Tossapol Boonsinsukh + Kriangkrai Watananiyom + Wisarut Deelorm

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CONFESSION OF A SHOPAHOLIC GAY: I hadn't bought the book THE CINEMA OF SPAIN AND PORTUGAL when it was priced 1601 baht at Kinokuniya, Paragon. But today I found that there was a discount. The book's price is 450 baht. So I bought it without hesitation. The book talks about THE CURSED VILLAGE (1930/1942, Florián Rey), SONG OF LISBON (1933, José Cottinelli Telmo), FAIR OF THE DOVE (1935, Benito Perojo), ANIKI-BÓBÓ (1942, Manoel de Oliveira), LAST STAND IN THE PHILIPPINES (1945, Antonio Román), LOLA THE COAL GIRL (1951, Luis Lucia), THE MIRACLE OF MARCELINO (1955, Ladislao Vajda), MAIN STREET (1956, Juan Antonio Bardem), THE LAST TORCH SONG (1957, Juan de Orduña), STRANGE JOURNEY (1964, Fernando Fernán Gómez), etc.

CHALOEMKIAT SAEYONG'S PARTIAL FILMOGRAPHY

Since CHAY, GAYVAH-RAR 'N' THE MACHUPICCHU is nominated for an award in the Thai Short Film and Video Festival, I think I should make a list of Chaloemkiat Saeyong's films, because I think he is one of my most favorite filmmakers.

A. AS DIRECTOR

1.APPLE OF DEMOCRACY (แอปเปิลแห่งอธิปไตยนคร) (2010, 3D animation, 10 min)
He co-directed this film with Thintavan Burawat and Somchat Namthong.


2.CHAY, GAYVAH-RAR 'N' THE MACHUPICCHU (คำพิพากษาของซาตาน) (2009, 20 min)
My comment on this film:
http://celinejulie.blogspot.com/2010/07/judge-2010-wachara-gunha.html

Filmsick's comment in Thai:
http://filmsick.exteen.com/20100718/entry


3.HISTORY ON THE AIR (บุคคลที่ตกค้างอยู่ภายในความทรงจำ) (2009, documentary, 62 min)


4.PERU TIME (กู่ก้องบอกรักนิรันดร) (2008, 18 min)
Filmsick's comment in Thai:
http://filmsick.exteen.com/20090713/marathon-diary-11-12-7-52


5.A PLACE OF DIFFERENT AIR (สถานต่างอากาศ) (2008, 24 min)
My comment in Thai on this film:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Eq2l-PNvMRE


6.POLITICALLY LAWYER AND NARRATIVE CINEMA (ฆาตรกรรรมสวาท ประหลาดน่านฟ้า ทำให้คนหายตัวไป) (2009, 27 min)
My comment in Thai on this film:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sPYIdyTjQ8Q&feature=mfu_channel


7.REVERSE (2007, 10 min)
Chaloemkiat co-directed this political sci-fi film with Prajak Kadeethum and Eakapon Boonwat.



B.AS PRODUCER OR CO-PRODUCER

1.QUOTATION MARK (อัญประกาศ) (2010, Tanakit Kitsanayunyong, 21 min)
My comment on this film in Thai:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GwRoTkudptg


C.AS EDITOR

1.SECRET OF GODFATHER (ลับเฉพาะเสี่ย) (2010, Yongyut Nethwong, 19 min)

FAVORITE THAI QUEER FILMS LATELY

I really love the conversation at the 2:00 minute of this mock-teaser, which is directed by a 16-year-old boy.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3-ZGJFbzc3k

Boy A: "How can we love each other? I don't even know your name."

Boy B: "I don't know how. All I know is that when I'm with you, my penis gets really hard."

This is the interview in Thai with Teerath Wangwisarn, the director of the mock-teaser.
http://fuse.in.th/blogs/movement/3356

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FAVORITE THAI QUEER FILMS LATELY
(in alphabetical order)

1.COMING OF AIDS (2010, Waasuthep Ketpetch, 35 min)

2.DARKEN SKY (ฟ้าสีเทา) (2010, Anuwat Upanun, 27 min)
Anuwat also directed EMOTION (ภาพเลือนลาง) (2006, 4 min).

3.GOGO (ลงสนาม) (2010, Jurarak Kongpol, 3 min)

4.HOW TO CAST MY DEAR FRIENDS? (เพื่อนรักเพื่อนร้าย) (2010, Pichet Smerchau, 25 min)

5.THE JUDGE (คำพิพากษาของความรัก) (2010, Wachara Kanha, 25 min)

6.ONE SIDE LOVER (ผู้รักข้างเดียว) (2009, Panit Pimroon, 11 min)

7.PRE-ATTITUDE (ทัศนอคติ) (2009, Panu Saeng-xuto, 20 min)

8.SCAR (แผลเป็น) (2010, Authawut Boonyuang, 12 min)

9.SURREPTITIOUS (ซ่อนเร้น) (2010, Thitikan Kanchanapakdee, 13 min)

10.SWEETHEART (สุดที่รัก) (2010, Woratep Tummaoros, 20 min)

FUENG, MY MOST FAVORITE FILM OF 2010, WILL BE SHOWN THIS SATURDAY

FUENG (2010, Teerani Siangsanoh+Wachara Gunha+Thani Thitiprawat), which is my most favorite film I saw in 2010, will be shown on Saturday, August 28, 11.00hrs, at BACC. This film liberates me from narrative prison and gives me the ultimate cinematic ecstasy. I worship FUENG as much as TAKE THE 5:10 TO DREAMLAND, KALYI—THE AGE OF DARKNESS, THE DEATH OF MARIA MALIBRAN, GREEN ROCKING CHAIR, and VIDEO 50 (Robert Wilson).

What I like very much in FUENG is the feelings that it is made up of unconnected scenes. But when these unconnected scenes are put together in this film, they yield the greatest cinematic bliss. FUENG reminds me of the ultimate joy I get from the following films:

1.BOONTHING (1991, Hamer Salwala + Saipin Kulkanokwan + Orawan Ovathasarn, Thailand)

2.THE DEATH OF MARIA MALIBRAN (1972, Werner Schroeter)

3.DON'T WARM EGG IN MICROWAVE OR ELSE IT WILL EXPLODE (2005, Tossapol Boonsinsukh, Thailand, 14 min)

4.ESCAPE FROM POPRAYA 2526 (2007, Paisit Panpruegsachat, Thailand)

5.FIREFIGHTER E.A. WINTERSTEIN (1968, Alexander Kluge, West Germany)
http://www.ubu.com/film/kluge.html

6.GREEN ROCKING CHAIR (2008, Roxlee, Philippines)

7.KALYI – THE AGE OF DARKNESS (1993, Fred Kelemen, Germany)

8.ORACLE (2007, Sebastian Diaz Morales)

9.PIPOP BUNTOON (พิภพบรรฑูรย์) (2001, Utis Haemamool, Thailand, 25 min)

10.SWEETHEART GARDEN (มธุรส) (2009, Tanatchai Bandasak, Thailand)

11.TAKE THE 5:10 TO DREAMLAND (1977, Bruce Conner, USA)

12.VIDEO 50 (1978, Robert Wilson)

13.WHAT HAPPENED TO MAGDALENA JUNG? (1983, Christoph Schlingensief, West Germany)

The schedule for the Thai Short Film and Video Festival can be viewed here:
http://www.thaifilm.com/shortFilmDetail.asp?id=152

THE ENDING OF TIME OF THE GYPSIES

For those who didn't see the ending of TIME OF THE GYPSIES (1988, Emir Kusturica, A+++++) at Thammasat today:

มันจบด้วยการที่เปอร์ฮาน (พระเอก) กลับไปเยี่ยมบ้าน แล้วก็พบว่าเขาโดนอาเหม็ดหลอกมาตลอด เพราะอาเหม็ดหลอกเขาว่าอาเหม็ดส่งเงินกลับไปบ้านเกิดของเขาเป็นประจำเพื่อใช้สร้างบ้านให้เปอร์ฮาน แต่พอเปอร์ฮานกลับไปที่บ้านเกิด เขาก็ไม่พบว่ามีการสร้างบ้านให้เขาแต่อย่างใด นอกจากนี้ เขายังพบว่าอาซรา สาวคนรักของเขาตั้งท้องอีกด้วย โดยที่เขาไม่รู้ว่าอาซราตั้งท้องกับเขาหรือเปล่า เพราะหลังจากที่เขาทิ้งหมู่บ้านไปเมื่อหลายเดือนก่อน อาซราก็หันมาควงกับลุงของเขาแทน

เปอร์ฮานโกรธลุงของเขามากเรื่องอาซรา เขาก็เลยเอาเชือกไปผูกกับเสาอากาศบนบ้านลุง และใช้รถลากเชือกนั้นเพื่อให้บ้านลุงลอยขึ้นไปอยู่กลางอากาศเหมือนที่ลุงเคยกับทำบ้านของเขาเมื่อในอดีต

เปอร์ฮานไปกินเลี้ยงที่บาร์ ยายของเขาก็เลยมาด่าเขา หาว่าเขาหาเงินมาได้โดยวิธีการที่ไม่สุจริต ซึ่งเป็นเรื่องที่น่ารังเกียจมาก ยายรับไม่ได้ค่ะ นอกจากนั้นยายก็บอกให้เขาคืนดีกับอาซราด้วย

เปอร์ฮานตัดสินใจแต่งงานกับอาซราซึ่งตั้งครรภ์ท้องแก่ แต่เขาไม่ได้รักอาซรา เขาตั้งใจจะนำเด็กในท้องของอาซราไปขายให้เศรษฐีในอิตาลีต่างหาก เปอร์ฮานนำอาซราและเด็กๆจำนวนหนึ่งลักลอบเดินทางเข้าอิตาลีเพื่อไปทำงานเป็นขอทาน เขากลับไปพบกับอาเหม็ด ซึ่งเรียกร้องอยากได้ภรรยาคนใหม่

ระหว่างที่เปอร์ฮานคุยกับอาเหม็ดอยู่นั้น อาซราซึ่งอยู่ในชุดเจ้าสาวก็เดินไปเรื่อยๆ ผ้าสีขาวที่ใช้สวมกบาลของเธอก็หลุดลอยปลิวไปในสายลมยามราตรี เปอร์ฮานเห็นเข้า เขาพยายามวิ่งตามอาซราไป และก็พบว่าอาซรานอนอยู่บนพื้น กำลังจะคลอดลูกอยู่ใกล้ๆทางรถไฟ และขณะที่อาซราจะคลอดลูกนั้นเอง ร่างของเธอก็ลอยขึ้นไปกลางอากาศ โอ้ ช่างน่ามหัศจรรย์ ซึ่งนั่นก็เท่ากับเป็นการบอกกลายๆว่าเด็กในท้องของเธอน่าจะเป็นลูกของเปอร์ฮานอย่างแน่นอน หลังจากคลอดลูกชายเสร็จ อาซราก็สิ้นใจตาย

เปอร์ฮานกลับไปที่โรงพยาบาลที่ดานิรา น้องสาวของเขาพักรักษาตัวอยู่ เขาพบว่าดานิราถูกคนในแก๊งของอาเหม็ดพาตัวออกจากโรงพยาบาลไปตั้งนานแล้ว เขากลับมาหาอาเหม็ด แต่ก็ได้ทราบเรื่องว่าอาเหม็ดกับน้องชายคืนดีกันและหายตัวไปแล้ว เปอร์ฮานกลับไปยังที่ซ่อนเงินและเครื่องเพชรของตัวเอง ซึ่งเขาเคยซ่อนไว้แถวท่อระบายน้ำเก่า และเขาก็พบว่ามันโดนน้ำท่วมไปแล้ว เงินและเครื่องเพชรของเขาลอยตามสายธารไปหมด เขาเจอลูกแมวตัวนึงกำลังจะจมน้ำตาย เขาก็เลยช่วยแมวน้อยกลอยใจตัวนั้นเอาไว้

เปอร์ฮานพยายามตามหาดานิราในกรุงโรมเป็นเวลานาน 4 พรรษา และในที่สุดเขาก็เจอดานิราที่ทำงานเป็นขอทานขากะเผลก เขารู้จากดานิราว่าอาเหม็ดกำลังจะแต่งงานใหม่ เขาก็เลยไปที่งานแต่ง ซึ่งทุกคนกำลังชุลละมุนวุ่นวาย เต้นรำเทิ่งมงกันอยู่ และเขาก็พาตัวลูกชายวัย 4 ขวบของเขาที่ชื่อว่าเปอร์ฮานเหมือนกันออกมาจากงาน เขาพาลูกชายกับน้องสาวของเขาไปส่งขึ้นรถไฟ ส่วนตัวเขาตัดสินใจกลับไปยังงานแต่งงานอีกครั้ง

เปอร์ฮานใช้พลังจิตของเขาบังคับส้อมในงานแต่งงาน เขาบังคับให้ส้อมตัวนั้นลอยขึ้นกลางอากาศและพุ่งไปปักที่คอของอาเหม็ดจนอาเหม็ดตาย เขาถูกน้องชายของอาเหม็ดยิงใส่ แต่ได้รับความช่วยเหลือจากเด็กชายมุสลิมที่เป็นเพื่อนเก่าในแก๊งขอทานของเขา เด็กคนนั้นพาเขากระเสือกกระสนหนีไปจนถึงสะพาน แต่ภรรยาใหม่ของอาเหม็ดควงปืนวิ่งไล่ตามมาและยิงเปอร์ฮานจนตาย

ศพของเปอร์ฮานได้รับการทำพิธีที่บ้านเกิด ยายของเปอร์ฮานเอาเหรียญสองเหรียญมาปิดที่ตาของเปอร์ฮาน แต่ลูกของพระเอกแอบขโมยเหรียญสองเหรียญนั้นไป และหลังจากนั้นลูกชายของพระเอกก็ซ่อนตัวในกล่องและเคลื่อนกล่องไปเรื่อยๆตามท้องถนน ลุงของพระเอกเห็นแต่ก็ไม่ได้ว่าอะไร ลุงของพระเอกไปเจอรูปพระเยซู (หรือไม้กางเขนก็ไม่รู้ ดูไม่ถนัด) อยู่ในยุ้งฉางเก่าๆ ก็เลยขอพรจากพระเยซูให้ชนะพนัน แต่รูปพระเยซูกลับร่วงหล่นลงมาใส่พื้น จบค่ะ :-)

RIP CHRISTOPH SCHLINGENSIEF

RIP Christoph Schlingensief
http://www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0,,5932234,00.html
" He also invited people to join an anti-chancellor swim in the then-Chancellor Helmut Kohl's holiday retreat in Lake Wolfgang in Austria. His aim was to cause the lake to overflow with six million people in it, the number representing Germany's unemployed at the time."

I saw only one film of his: WHAT HAPPENED TO MAGDALENA JUNG? (1983). It is one of my most favorite films I saw in 2006.
http://archive.sensesofcinema.com/contents/07/42/2006-world-poll-3.html#Phokaew

Filmsick wrote about THE GERMAN CHAINSAW MASSACRE (1991, Christoph Schlingensief) in Thai here:
http://filmsick.exteen.com/20081126/the-german-chainsaw-masacre-christoph-schlingenseif-1991

My comments in Thai on WHAT HAPPENED TO MAGDALENA JUNG?
http://celinejulie.blogspot.com/2006/11/what-happened-to-magdalena-jung.html
http://celinejulie.blogspot.com/2006/11/christoph-schlingensief.html

WHAT HAPPENED TO MAGDALENA JUNG? (1983, CHRISTOPH SCHLINGENSIEF, A++++++++++)

http://www.schlingensief.com/index_eng.html

รู้สึกว่าหนังเรื่องนี้เฮี้ยนพอๆกับหนังของ ULRIKE OTTINGER และ HERBERT ACHTERNBUSCH และนี่คงเป็นหนึ่งในหนังสั้นที่ชอบที่สุดในปีนี้อย่างแน่นอน

ดูหนังเรื่องนี้แล้วตัดสินไม่ได้จริงๆว่าตัวละครตัวไหนแรงที่สุดในเรื่อง ทั้งนางเอกที่เหาะเหินได้อย่างไม่มีสาเหตุ, พิธีกรโทรทัศน์หญิงที่ใช้เทคนิคด้านภาพในการสร้างความเฮี้ยนให้ตัวเอง (ด้วยการแบ่งหน้าจอออกเป็นสองช่อง แต่ละช่องพูดไม่ตรงเวลากัน และมีการสลับภาพกลับหัวกลับหางในบางระยะ), พิธีกรชาย, ผู้โดยสารหญิงในเครื่องบิน และสาวเล่นเปียโนที่มีท่าทางการจิกกระดาษโน้ตเพลงที่รุนแรงมาก

เว็บไซท์ของ CHRISTOPH SCHLINGENSIEF

http://www.schlingensief.com/index_eng.html

ภาพจากผลงานของเขา

http://www.schlingensief.com/bildergalerien/034/t052_1.jpg

http://www.schlingensief.com/bildergalerien/041/f047_1.jpg

http://www.schlingensief.com/bildergalerien/041/f047_4.jpg

http://www.schlingensief.com/bildergalerien/041/f047_7.jpg

http://www.schlingensief.com/bildergalerien/041/f047_16.jpg


ได้คุยกับคุณเต้ถึงภาพยนตร์เรื่อง WHAT HAPPENED TO MAGDALENA JUNG? ที่ได้ดูกันที่ห้องสมุดมหาวิทยาลัยธรรมศาสตร์ คุยๆกันอยู่แล้วดิฉันก็หัวเราะจนแทบหยุดไม่ได้เมื่อนึกถึงฉากที่เด็กๆกลุ่มนึงถูกสอนให้ท่องประโยคที่ว่า LENA IS GREAT ซ้ำไปซ้ำมาหลายๆครั้ง โดยมีเด็กหญิงชาวเอเชียคนนึงรวมอยู่ในกลุ่มเด็กฝรั่งด้วย เด็กเหล่านี้ทำหน้าตายมาก และท่องประโยคที่ดูเหมือนกับว่าเป็น “ความจริงที่น่าเชื่อถือ” ประเภท “เด็กดีต้องรักชาติ” แต่สิ่งที่เด็กๆในหนังเรื่องนี้ท่องกลับเป็นความจริงที่ดูเหมือนไร้สาระมากๆ

อีกฉากนึงที่ชอบมากคือฉากคนกลุ่มนึงนั่งปั้นจิ้มปั้นเจ๋อกันอยู่บนรถไฟ แล้วคนบางคนในกลุ่มนั้นก็ลงจากรถไฟ พวกเขาเห็นคนทำกิจกรรมอะไรบางอยู่ข้างนอกรถไฟ แล้วอยู่ๆดีฉากนั้นก็ย้อนกลับไปยังจุดเริ่มต้นใหม่อีกครั้ง คนกลุ่มนั้นยังคงนั่งปั้นจิ้มปั้นเจ๋อกันอยู่บนรถไฟ ก่อนที่พวกเขาจะลงจากรถไฟ แล้วก็เจอคนทำกิจกรรมกันอยู่นอกรถไฟ (จำได้ว่ามีคนเล่นคาราเต้กันนอกรถไฟด้วย แต่จำไม่ได้ว่ากิจกรรมนี้อยู่ในฉากที่หนึ่งหรือฉากที่สอง และอีกกิจกรรมนึงก็คือกิจกรรมที่เหมือนให้คนเยอรมันแต่งตัวแบบชุดประจำชาติ ถ้าจำไม่ผิดน่ะนะ) ดิฉันตัดสินไม่ถูกจริงๆว่า “ฉากรถไฟซ้ำสองครั้ง” ในหนังเรื่องนี้ กับฉากรถไฟซ้ำสองครั้งในหนังเรื่อง “4” (2004, ILYA KHRZHANOVSKY, A+) ฉากไหนแรงกว่ากัน

เนื่องจากดิฉันประทับใจกับ WHAT HAPPENED TO MAGDALENA JUNG? มากๆ ก็เลยไปค้นประวัติของ CHRISTOPH SCHLINGENSIEF ดู แล้วก็พบว่าเขาเคยกำกับหนังไตรภาคชุด GERMAN TRILOGY ที่น่าสนใจมากๆ ซึ่งประกอบด้วยเรื่อง

1.100 YEARS OF ADOLF HITLER (1988) ซึ่งมีเนื้อหาเกี่ยวกับชั่วโมงสุดท้ายในชีวิตของอดอล์ฟ ฮิตเลอร์

2.THE GERMAN CHAINSAW MASSACRE (1990, 63 MINUTES)

หนังเรื่องนี้ได้รับคำวิจารณ์ว่าเหมือนกับนำ THE TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE (1974, TOBE HOOPER, A+) มาสร้างใหม่ โดยให้ BERTOLT BRECHT เป็นคนกำกับ!!!!! (กรี๊ดดดดดด) โดยเนื้อหาของหนังเรื่องนี้พูดถึงเหตุการณ์สำคัญในประวัติศาสตร์เยอรมนีเหมือนกับ 100 YEARS OF ADOLF HITLER โดยเหตุการณ์ในเรื่องนี้เกิดขึ้นเมื่อเยอรมันตะวันออกกับตะวันตกรวมชาติกันได้ไม่กี่ชั่วโมง และชาวเยอรมันตะวันออกกลุ่มหนึ่งก็เดินทางเข้ามาในเยอรมันตะวันตก พวกเขาได้พบกับครอบครัวโรคจิตวิปลาสครอบครัวหนึ่งที่แนะนำชาวเยอรมันตะวันออกกลุ่มนี้ให้รู้จักกับความรื่นรมย์ของสิ่งที่เรียกกันว่า “ตลาดเสรี”?????

THE GERMAN CHAINSAW MASSACRE นำแสดงโดยเจ้าพ่อหนัง CULT – UDO KIER โดยมี VOLKER SPENGLER (IN A YEAR OF 13 MOONS, FANDANGO, THE THIRD GENERATION) มาร่วมแสดงด้วย

อย่าจำ VOLKER SPENGLER สลับกับ RUDIGER VOGLER (ALICE IN THE CITIES, THE WRONG MOVE, KINGS OF THE ROAD)

3.TERROR 2000 (1992, 80 MINUTES)

หนังเรื่องนี้พูดถึงการเหยียดผิวในสังคมเยอรมนี โดยมี ALFRED EDEL รับบทเป็นอดีตนักเลง และ PETER KERN รับบทเป็นลูกสมุนของเขา ทั้งสองมาเปิดร้านเฟอร์นิเจอร์ในเมืองเล็กๆแห่งหนึ่ง และทั้งสองก็เริ่มต้นทำร้ายครอบครัวของชาวต่างชาติและออกมารณรงค์ต่อต้านชาวต่างชาติในเยอรมนี หนังเรื่องนี้ได้รับคำวิจารณ์ว่า “ปั่นป่วนวุ่นวายมาก”

PETER KERN ดารานำของหนังเรื่องนี้เคยแสดงภาพยนตร์แรงๆมาแล้วมากมายหลายเรื่อง อย่างเช่น

3.1 FOX AND HIS FRIENDS (1975, RAINER WERNER FASSBINDER, A)

3.2 HITLER: A FILM FROM GERMANY (1978, HANS-JURGEN SYBERBERG, A+) เขารับบทเป็นตัวละคร 5 ตัวในหนังความยาว 7 ชั่วโมงเรื่องนี้ โดยหนึ่งในตัวละคร 5 ตัวนี้คือ M ฆาตกรโรคจิตจากหนังเรื่องดังของ FRITZ LANG

3.3 PRISON CAMP GIRLS, JAILED FOR LOVE (1983, PETER KERN + KURT RAAB)

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0084139/

3.4 VIRGIN MACHINE (1988, MONIKA TREUT) หนังเลสเบียน

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0095417/

3.5 JOAN OF ARC OF MONGOLIA (1988, ULRIKE OTTINGER, A+) หนังเลสเบียน

3.6 MALINA (1991, WERNER SCHROETER, A+)

ดารานำอีกคนใน TERROR 2000 คือ MARGIT CARSTENSEN ซึ่งเป็นดาราขาประจำของ RAINER WERNER FASSBINDER

CHRISTOPH SCHLINGENSIEF เคยร่วมมือกับสาวเฮี้ยน ELFRIEDE JELINEK (THE PIANO TEACHER, MALINA) ในการกำกับละครเวทีเรื่อง BAMBILAND และนี่คือรูปจาก BAMBILAND

http://www.schlingensief.com/bildergalerien/004/t041_1.jpg

http://www.schlingensief.com/bildergalerien/004/t041_6.jpg

http://www.schlingensief.com/bildergalerien/004/t041_8.jpg

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DOC FEST IN BANGKOK 2010

Doc Fest has announced its schedule. You can see the schedule in the poster below.

Films shown in this festival include: MODERN LIFE (2008, Raymond Depardon, A++++++++++), AMAZING THAILAND (1998, Soraya Nakhasuwan + Panuttha Yusuksawas, A++++++++++), THE RENOVATION OF THE TEMPLE (2010, Najaree Ratanajiajaroen, A+++++), DHARMA CAMP (2010, Supakit Seksuwan, A+++++), 2003 (2003, Chookiat Sakveerakul, A+++++)

AN INTERVIEW WITH WACHARA GUNHA

Wachara Gunha, one of my most favorite directors, is interviewed by Graiwoot Chulphongsathorn, Killpid Prodry, Dhan Lhaow, and me last week. You can listen to the interview in Thai here:
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=X77AY342

My comment in VDO Comment's Facebook:
http://www.facebook.com/#!/group.php?gid=112916038755804&ref=ts
ขอบคุณมากๆจ้า โหลดมาฟังได้ 40 นาทีแล้วมันก็หยุดไปเลย แต่ก็คิดว่าคงใกล้จบบทสัมภาษณ์แล้วล่ะ

FYI: หนังที่พูดถึงในนาทีที่ 33 ที่บอกว่าเป็นหนังที่ใช้ทุนสูงสุดของคุณวชร คือเรื่อง รักเธอครั้งแรก รักเขาครั้งสุดท้าย

ตอนแรกเราโหลดมาฟังไม่ได้ด้วยแหละ พยายามโหลดมาประมาณ 3 ครั้ง แต่พอมันโหลดไปได้ประมาณ 50-75 % มันก็จะหยุดนิ่งไปเฉยเลย

พอเราโหลดครั้งที่สี่ มันก็หยุดนิ่งกลางคันเหมือนกัน เราก็เลยกะจะปิดเครื่องเข้านอน ปรากฏว่าพอจะกด disconnect จากอินเทอร์เน็ต อยู่ดีๆมันก็โหลดเสร็จอย่างกะทันหัน ก็เลยได้ฟังในที่สุด

ขอบคุณคุณ Dhan Lhaow, Killpid Prodry และ Graiwoot มากๆ ที่ช่วยให้เราได้พบกับผู้กำกับท่านนี้

รายชื่อหนังที่คุณวชรกำกับ, นำแสดง หรือมีส่วนร่วม สามารถดูได้ที่นี่จ้ะ
http://celinejulie.blogspot.com/2010/08/films-of-wachara-gunha-his-group-and.html

SCAR (2010, Athawut Boonyuang, A++++++++++)

THAI FILMS SEEN ON JULY 24, 2010

1.SCAR (Athawut Boonyuang, 12 min, A++++++++++)
แผลเป็น (อรรถวุฒิ บุญยวง)
This is my comment in Thai on SCAR:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1VBLrDWW3wE

2.BACKSTAGE (Roongroj Pengpunchum, 15 min, documentary, A+++++)
เบื้องหลัง (รุ่งโรจน์ เพ็งพันธุ์ฉ่ำ)

3.THAI CONTEMPORARY POLITICS QUIZ (2010, Scene 22, 8 min, A+++++)
แบบทดสอบวิชาการเมืองไทยร่วมสมัย (ฉาก 22)
This film satirizes many things in Thai politics. I think this film is very original, because I have never seen a film like this before. This film is in the form of a quiz. It presents us about ten questions. Each question has about 4-6 choices of answers. The film never tells us what the right answer is. Therefore, the film can avoid being too didactic. The film doesn't tell us straightforwardly what the directors think, so I don't feel the film tries to influence the audience too much or tries to judge things for us.

I can't remember the details in this film now, but I will try to give a rough example of the questions I like in this film:

3.1 Ann is a beautiful girl who has many male friends. Her friends like to participate in political rallies. Ann decides to participate in it, too. Ann participates in political rallies, because:

3.1.1 Ann is beautiful.
3.1.2 Ann can't say no to her friends.

There is no choice for "Ann is interested in politics." or "Ann wants to express her political opinions."

3.2 If Ann has a problem, who should she consult with?

3.2.1 Tankun Jittissara
3.2.2 Pongpat Wachirabanjong
3.2.3 Maythee Amornwuthikul
3.2.4 Arisamun Pongruengrong

4.PU-THAI (Weerasak Suyala, 9 min, A+++++)
ปู-ไทย (วีระศักดิ์ สุยะลา)
This film is English-speaking!!!!! Weerasak still excels at making funny films like no one else.

5.THE RENOVATION OF THE TEMPLE (Najaree Ratanajiajaroen, documentary, 42 min, A+++++)
บูรณะ (ณจรี รัตนเจียเจริญ)

6.PUSUMRA (Wachara Gunha, 22 min, A+++++)
ผู้ชำระล้าง (วชร กัณหา)
Every image in this sci-fi film is very beautiful in my point of view, especially the fighting scene in which the snow is falling or something like that. The story in this film, which concerns the emerging of a hero, may not be as interesting as the images. But Wachara told me that he made this film for his little brother who likes watching Ultraman-like Japanese TV series. That explains why PUSUMRA is not as surreal as or as weird as his other films.

The title of this film in Thai (POO CHUM RA LANG) can be literally translated as THE CLEANER or THE WASHER or THE CLEARER or THE PURIFIER or something like that. But Wachara asked his mother to give this film an English title, so she named it PUSUMRA. I like this English title very much. It sounds beautiful and is unique. The film's title would not be as interesting as this if it was callled THE CLEANER.

I would like to screen PUSUMRA with other Thai sci-fi films such as REVERSE (2007, Chaloemkiat Saeyong + Prajak Kadeetham + Ekapol Boonwat, 10 min) and MAY-KYN: THE DAMN REAL NICE GUY (2009, Palakorn Kleungfak, 12 min).

7.THE ILLUDED MOON (Chaisiri Jiwarangsan, 11 min, A+++++)
พระจันทร์ (ชัยศิริ จิวะรังสรรค์)
I think the image and the story in this film captivate me much more than PURE (Chaisiri Jiwarangsan). The image in this film comes from an eye operation, like the film SURREAL RANDOM MMS TEXTS FOR A MOTHER, A SISTER AND A WIFE WHO LONGS FOR YOU: LANDSCAPE WITH FIGURES (2008, Christopher Gozum, Phililppines, A+++++). It can make you feel as uneasy as the eye-slicing scene in UN CHIEN ANDALOU. But you know that what you see in this film is real, not created by special effects. I love the image in this film. It may look bloody, but it is just a fact of life. This film is also relevant to me personally. I always have eye problems, so I think watching an eye operation in this film may help me prepare for what I may have to experience in the future.

The story told in this film is a bit surreal. If I remember it correctly, the videographer of this film is Apichatpong Weerasethakul. The sound effects of this film are done by Araya Rasdjarmrearnsook.


8.WAKE ME UP WHEN BLOODY MAY ENDS (Viroj Suttisima, 15 min, A+++++)
พฤษภาคม, 2010 (วิโรจน์ สุทธิสีมา)
I like the way Viroj created this film very much. He uses found footages of a meeting, a group of friends playing game, and some resorts to help narrating a new story. Images of an amicable meeting or seminar are turned into a meeting of some political groups. A funny game-playing is turned into a political metaphor. Images of some resorts are coupled with evil, revengeful thoughts.

9.DRY FISH DAY DREAM (Arpapun Plungsirisoontorn, 6 min, A+++++)
ฝันตากแห้งของปลากลางแดด (อาภาพรรณ ปลั่งสิริสุนทร)
This film presents us with only one scene or one moving-image: the image of the grilling of some fish. It also tells us the thoughts of the fish which want to return to the sea. The sound effect of this film makes us understand that this film is about Thai politics.

The sad thoughts of the fish in this film make me cry. It means that this film touches my feelings more strongly than Arpapun's other films, which seem to affect my brain more than my sentimental feelings.

10.PLACE TO BE (2009, Wiwat Lertwiwatwongsa, 5 min, A+++++)
บ้าน (วิวัฒน์ เลิศวิวัฒน์วงศา)
You can watch this film here:
http://www.youtube.com/user/FILMSICK#p/u/69/2nLAcuPfXmY
However, I think the power of this atmospheric film increases exponentially when it is viewed on the big screen.

11,APPEARANCE (Siwawut Paireepinas, 25 min, A+)
เปลือก (ศิวาวุธ ไพรีพินาศ)

12.BUSSABA (Katon Thammavijitdej + Chonlasit Upanigkit + Graisit Garnpariyasoontorn + Parkpoom Choakumnuaysook + Purikorn Pakdeejaroen, 29 min, A+)
บุษบา (กตัณณ์ ธรรมวิจิตเดช, ชลสิทธิ์ อุปนิกขิต, ไกรสิทธิ กานต์ปริยสุนทร, ภาคภูมิ โชคอำนวยสุข, ภูริกร ภักดีเจริญ)
This murder-mystery film has a very interesting plot. But I wonder about the motive of the murder planner. Is he gay? Did he plan the murder because he doesn't like that his friends have got some girlfriends?

13.WHERE CAN I FIND SERIPAP? (Pass Patthanakumjon, 29 min, A+)
ผมจะหาเสรีภาพได้ที่ไหน? (ภาส พัฒนกำจร)

14.PLASTER (Teerachoat Jiworasetkul, 12 min, A+)
พลาสเตอร์ (ธีรโชติ จิวรเศรษฐ์กุล)

15.HITCHPACKER (Sutham Jeerasin, 12 min, documentary, A+)
โบกรถแบกเป้เที่ยว (สุธรรม จีระศิลป์)

16.POSSIBLE...? (Apisit Suetrakoolwong, 11 min, A+)
เป็นไปได้ไง (อภิสิทธิ์ ซื่อตระกูลวงศ์)

17.ONE SIDE LOVER (Panit Pimroon, 11 min, A+)
ผู้รักข้างเดียว (พนิต พิมพ์หรุ่น)

18.TOMORROW (Sutheenunt Permpoonsuntisook, 17 min, A+)
พรุ่งนี้ไม่สำคัญ (สุธีนันท์ เพิ่มพูนขันติสุข)

19.THREE BLESSES (Thanapat Srisook, animation, 4 min, A+/A)
พร 3 ประการ (ธนพัฒน์ ศรีสุข)

20.THREE BLESSES (Gun Sangkaew, 4 min, A+/A)
พร 3 ประการ (กันต์ แสงแก้ว)

21.DAD: DIRECTOR'S CUT (Gun Sangkaew, 10 min, A/A-)
พ่อ ฉบับผู้กำกับ (กันต์ แสงแก้ว)

22.I'M 20 (Setthanun Choatchuangsup, 5 min, A-)
ผมอายุ 20 (เศรษฐนันต์ โชติช่วงทรัพย์)

23.THE FAKE MERIT (Roongroj Kalayapongwanich, 13 min, A-)
บุญสีเทา (รุ่งโรจน์ กัลยาพงศ์วณิช)

24.DESTINY'S PLAY (Nattavut Norasetsrisuk, 13 min, possibly A-)
บู้ไม่หวั่นโชคชะตา (ณัฐวุฒิ นรเสธศรีสุข)
I didn't see the first few minutes of this film.

25.FOR...? (Pats Teerarutsakul, 14 min, A-)
ปีศาจสามตาฟันผุ กับยาสีฟันเหงารัก (ปัถษ์ ธีระรัตน์สกุล)

26.WHAT ARE YOU DOING, SIR? (Phumrapee Tang, 3 min, A-)
ผู้ใหญ่ครับทำอะไรกันคราบบบ (ภูมิรพี แซ่ตั้ง)

27.THE HISTORY ABOUT THE FALL OF RAWEE COUNTRY (2010, Pongpun Yunchevit, 8 min, A-)
ประวัติศาสตร์ว่าด้วยการล่มสลายของประเทศระวี (พงษ์พันธ์ ยืนชีวิต)

28.THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS MIRACLE (Teppatat Kumgaew, 15 min, A-/B+)
ปาฏิหาริย์ไม่มีจริง (เทพทัตถ์ คำแก้ว)

29.THIS PROGRAM: REVENGEFUL GHOST (Gun Sangkaew, 12 min, B+)
โปรแกรมนี้ ผีอาฆาต (กันต์ แสงแก้ว)

30.THE BLESSING OF GOD (Napat Tangsanga, 8 min, B+)
พรวิเศษ (ณภัทร ตั้งสง่า)

31.POPSHOT@THEGANG: MUSEUMSIAM (Saowachai Riabsumrej, documentary, 12 min, B+)
POPSHOT@THEGANG: MUSEUMSIAM (เสาวชัย เรียบสำเร็จ)

32.TOMORROW NEVER COME (Chanin Hanjaroen, 5 min, B+)
พรุ่งนี้ยังไม่เคยมาถึง (ชนินทร์ หาญเจริญ)
Chanin also directed CONFRONT WITH THE TRUTH (2009, 11 min, A+++++).

33.SCARED (Pattrakrit Namwan + Somporn Inaon, 3 min, B)
ผวา (ภัทรกฤต นามวรรณ, สมพร อินอ่อน)

34.FIRST LOVE (Prachuab Plittapolkarnpim, 18 min, B-)
โปรดจำไว้ว่าฉันรักเธอ (ประจวบ ผลิตผลการพิมพ์)

Favorite quote from Sonthaya Subyen

GM Magazine, Issue 385, August 2010, publishes a ten-page interview of Apichatpong Weerasethakul. It also publishes a quote from Sonthaya Subyen which I like very much.

Sonthaya said: "Guillermo del Toro, the director of PAN'S LABYRINTH, said, "There's something intangible in the real world, but our instincts can feel it. The only way we can touch it is by art or religion." The films of Apichatpong possess the miraculous power of the bliss of gazing. His films enable us to feel something which is beyond the frame of the image, and let us see the purity, the simplicity, and the magic which are integrated into the basic nature. This is because the unique characteristic of cinematic art is not clever dialogues, twisted storytelling, or stylistic show-off by playing with weird images."

FILM WISH LIST 2010

FILM WISH LIST 2010

1.AIN’T NO TOMORROWS (2008, Yuki Tanada, Japan, 79 min)

2.ALL THINGS WERE NOW OVERTAKEN BY SILENCE (2010, Nicolás Pereda, Mexico, 62 min)

3.ANDER (2009, Roberto Castón, Spain)

4.THE ARBOR (2010, Clio Bernard, documentary)

5.ARGENTINA AVENIDA (2009, Lucia-Milena Bonse, 84 min)

6.ARMADILLO (2010, Janus Metz, documentary)

7.AT ELLEN’S AGE (2010, Pia Marais, Germany)

8.ATHENS-ISTANBUL (2008, Nikos Panayotopoulos, Greece, 103 min)

9.ATLANTIS (2008, Pieter Geenen)

10.BAD BIOLOGY (2008, Frank Henenlotter, USA, 85 min)

11.BARKING WATER (2009, Sterlin Harjo, USA, 85 min)

12.THE BEAST NOTES (2008, Keja Ho Kramer, France)

13.BEETLE QUEEN CONQUERS TOKYO (2009, Jessica Oreck, USA/Japan)

14.BENA (2009, Niv Klainer, Israel, 84 min)

15.THE BLACKS (2009, Zvonimir Juric + Goran Devic, Croatia, 75 min)

16.THE BLOOD TRAIL (2009, Jerrold Tarog, Philippines)

17.BRIDAL QUARTER (2010, Gutierrez Mangansakan II, Philippines)

18.BURNING PALACE (2008, Mara Mattuschka + Chris Haring, Austria, 32 min)

19.BURROWING (2009, Fredrik Wenzel + Henrik Hellström, Sweden)

20.CENTRO (2010, Sebastián Martínez, Argentina, 90 min)

21.THE CLONE RETURNS TO HOMELAND (2008, Kanji Nakajima, 110 min)

22.CONTACT HIGH (2009, Michael Glawogger, Austria)

23.CONTENT (2010, Christopher Petit, UK, documentary, 76 min)

24.CRAB TRAP (2009, Oscar Ruiz Navia, Colombia, 95 min)

25.CRACKIE (2009, Sherry White, Canada, 94 min)

26.CROSSING THE MOUNTAIN (2010, Yang Rui, China)

27.DANCING DREAMS (2010, Anne Linsel, Germany, documentary, 89 min)

28.THE DARK HARBOUR (2009, Naito Takatsugu, Japan, 99 min)

29.DEAR PRUDENCE (BELLE ÉPINE) (2010, Rebecca Zlotowski, France)

30.DEEP IN THE VALLEY (2009, Atsushi Funahashi, Japan)

31.DEEP IN THE WOODS (2010, Benoît Jacquot, France)

32.DEFIANT BRASILIA (2009, Gabriel Mascaro, Brazil, 85 min)

33.DEVOTES OF THE PRECIPITATE (2010, Julian Semilian, USA-Romania, 36 min)

34.THE DRIFTER (2010, Tatjana Turanskyj, Germany)

35.8 BEHIND THE WHEEL (2009, Trace Burroughs)

36.EIGHTEEN (2009, Jang Kun-jae, South Korea)

37.ELVIS’ LAST SONG (2009, Vasilis Raisis, Greece, 100 min)

38.ERIE (2009, Kevin Jerome Everson, USA, 81 min)

39.THE EXPLODING GIRL (2009, Bradley Rust Gray, USA, 79 min)

40.FACS OF LIFE (2009, Silvia Maglioni + Graeme Thomson, 115 min)

41.A FAINT TREMBLING OF THE LANDSCAPE (2008, Philippe Fernandez, France)

42.FISH EYES (2009, Zheng Wei, Korea/China)

43.40 DAYS (2008, Juan Carlos Martín, Mexico, 101 min)

44.THE FOUR TIMES (2010, Michelangelo Frammartino, Italy, 88 min)

45.FRESH AIR (2006, Ágnes Kocsis, Hungary, 109 min)

46.FROZEN BUTTERFLIES (2009, Mark Lipkin, Australia, 83 min)

47.GIGANTE (2009, Adrián Biniez, Uruguay)

48.GLAMOROUS YOUTH (2009, Philip Yung, Hong Kong, 133 min)

49.THE HAPPIEST GIRL IN THE WORLD (2009, Radu Jude, Romania)

50.HELSINKI, FOREVER (2009, Peter von Bagh, Finland)

51.HIGH RISE (UM LUGAR AO SOL) (2009, Gabriel Mascaro, Brazil, documentary, 71 min)

52.HUMAN FAILURE (2008, Michael Verhoeven, Germany, documentary, 91 min)
http://film-forward.com/nyjff10.html

53.I AM A CAT STALKER (2009, Takuji Suzuki, Japan)

54.THE IDIOT (2008, Pierre Léon, France, 61 min)

55.THE IMAGE INSIDE (2009, Wolfgang Scholz, Germany, documentary, 53 min)

56.IMPOLEX (2009, Alex Ross Perry, USA, 73 min)

57.INTER VIEW (2010, Makino Takashi, 25 min)

58.ISKA’S JOURNEY (2007, Csaba Bollók, Hungary, 92 min)

59.I TRAVEL BECAUSE I HAVE TO, I COME BACK BECAUSE I LOVE YOU (2009, Karim Ainouz + Marcelo Gomes, Brazil, 75 min)

60.JOURNEY TO THE MOON (2009, Kutlug Ataman, Turkey)

61.KAIFECK MURDER (2009, Esther Gronenborn, Germany, 86 min)

62.KAWASE SAN (2009, Christian Leighton, Chile, documentary, 77 min)

63.LOS LABIOS (2010, Iván Fund + Santiago Loza, Argentina, 100 min)

64.LAND OF SCARECROWS (2008, Roh Gyeong-tae, South Korea, 90 min)

65.THE LAST CIRCUS (2010, Álex de la Iglesia, Spain)

66.A LIGHT IN THE FOG (2009, Panahbarkhoda Rezaee, Iran)

67.LIFE AFTER THE FALL (2008, Kasim Abid, Iraq, documentary, 155 min)

68.LOWLANDS (2009, Peter Thompson, USA)

69.LOW LIGHTS (2009, Ignas Miskinis, Lithuania, 92 min)

70.LULU AND JIMI (2009, Oskar Roehler, Germany, 94 min)

71.LUPANG HINARANG (2009, Ditso Carolino, Philippines)

72.MANIQUERVILLE (2009, Pierre Creton, France, 84 min)

73.THE MAN’S WOMAN AND OTHER STORIES (2009, Amit Dutta, India)

74.LOS MATERIALES (2009, Los Hijos, Spain, documentary, 67 min)

75.MEMBERS OF THE FUNERAL (2008, Baek Seung-bin, South Korea, 98 min)

76.MEN ON THE BRIDGE (2009, Asli Özge, Turkey)

77.MISSING PERSON (2009, Seo Lee, South Korea, 95 min)

78.MOTHERS (2010, Milcho Manchevski, Macedonia)

79.NAHIED=VENUS (2008, Parisa Yousef Doust, Netherlands, documentary, 39 min)

80.NAVIDAD (2009, Sebastián Campos, Chile)

81.N’AVONS-NOUS PAS TOUJOURS ÉTÉ BIENVEILLANTS? (RECUEIL) (WE HAVE NOT ALWAYS BEEN BENEVOLENT: SERIES) (2010, Pierre Creton + Vincent Barré, France, documentary, 117 min)

82.OLD PARTNER (2008, Lee Chung-ryoul, South Korea, documentary, 78 min)

83.1 (2009, Peter Sparrow, Hungary)

84.108 (2010, Renate Costa, Spain/Paraguay)

85.ORAL HISTORY (2009, Volko Kamensky, Germany, 22 min)

86.THE OTHER ONE (2008, Patrick-Mario Bernard + Pierre Trividic, France, 97 min)

87.OUT OF LOVE (2009, Birgitte Stærmose, Denmark, 29 min)

88.PEACE WITH SEALS (2007, Miroslav Novak, Czech, documentary, 87 min)

89.THE PHILOSOPHER KINGS (2009, Patrick Shen, documentary, USA)

90.PINK HALO-HALO (2010, Joselito Altarejos, Philippines)

91.POSTCARD TO DADDY (2010, Michael Stock, Germany, documentary, 86 min)

92.PRESENT PARTICIPLE (2009, Shirin Sabashi, Iran/Sweden, 25 min)

93.RUÍNAS (2009, Manuel Mozos, Portugal, documentary, 60 min)

94.SÉRIE NOIRE (2009, Jean-Claude Rousseau, France)

95.THE SICILIAN GIRL (2009, Marco Aventa, Italy)

96.THE SILENCE (2010, Baran bo Odar, Germany, 119 min)

97.SILENT VOICE (2009, Léa Fehner, France)

98.SMALL REVOLTS (2009, Kyriakos Katzourakis, Greece)

99.SOTCHI 255 (2010, Jean-Claude Taki, France, documentary, 115 min)

100.SPECIAL TREATMENT (2010, Jeanne Labrunne, France)

101.STELLA (2008, Sylvie Verheyde, France, 103 min)

102.STINGRAY SAM (2009, Cory McAbee, USA, 61 min)

103.SYMBOL (2009, Hitoshi Matsumoto, Japan)

104.LE TEMPS DES GRÂCES (2009, Dominique Marchais, France, documentary, 123 min)

105.THIEVES BY LAW (2010, Alexander Gentelev, Russia, documentary)

106.THREE MEN AND A FISH POND (2008, Marias Maskalans + Laila Pakalnina, Latvia, documentary, 52 min)

107.T IS FOR TEACHER (2009, Rohan Spong, USA, documentary, 71 min)

108.TODAY AND THE OTHER DAYS (2008, Choi Wee An, South Korea, 102 min)

109.TOGETHER (2009, Nicolás Pereda, Mexico, 73 min)

110.THE TRAVELOGUES (2010, Dustin Thompson, 49 min)

111.THE TRIAL OF ANDRES BONIFACIO (2010, Mario O’Hara, Philippines)

112.TWO GATES OF SLEEP (2010, Alistair Banks Griffin)

113.UNTIL THE NEXT RESURRECTION (2008, Oleg Morozov, Russia, documentary, 90 min)

114.VAN DIEMEN’S LAND (2009, Jonathan auf der Heide, Australia)

115.VILLALOBOS (2009, Romuald Karmakar, Germany, documentary, 110 min)

116.VOX POPULI (2010, Dennis Marasigan, Philippines)

117.WAKE UP SID (2009, Ayan Mukherjee, India, 138 min)

118.WAYS OF THE SEA (2010, Sheron Dayoc, Philippines)

119.WE ARE WHAT WE ARE (2010, Jorge Michel Grau, Mexico)

120.WEST OF PLUTO (2008, Henry Bernadet, Myriam Verreault, Canada)

121.WHAT I LOVE THE MOST (2010, Delfina Castagnino, Argentina, 76 min)

122.WHY I DON’T SPEAK SERBIAN (IN SERBIAN) (2008, Phil Collins)

123.THE WOLBERG FAMILY (2009, Axelle Ropert, France)

124.A WOMAN’S WAY (2009, Panos H. Koutras, Greece)

125.WOMB (2010, Benedek Filegauf, Germany, 107 min)

126.YURI’S DAY (2008, Kirill Serebrennikov, Russia/Germany, 137 min)


HONG KONG FILM FESTIVAL WISH LIST
http://celinejulie.blogspot.com/2010/03/hong-kong-international-film-festival.html

ROTTERDAM FILM FESTIVAL WISH LIST
http://celinejulie.blogspot.com/2010/01/rotterdam-wish-list.html

DOCUMENTARY FILM WISH LIST
http://celinejulie.blogspot.com/2010/07/documentary-wish-list.html

BERLINALE FILM WISH LIST
http://celinejulie.blogspot.com/2010/02/berlinale-film-wish-list.html

ON THE DAY THAT RAINCLOUDS STILL FLOAT BY (2010, Pongpun Yunchevit, A++++++++++)

FILMS SEEN OUTSIDE THE FESTIVAL:

1.TUKKY, THE PRINCESS WHO SELLS FROG (2010, Pornchai Hongrattanaporn, Thailand, A+/A)
Wise Kwai wrote about this film here:
http://thaifilmjournal.blogspot.com/2010/08/review-tukky-jao-ying-khai-kob.html

2.HOT SUMMER DAYS (2010, Tony Chan + Wing Shya, Hong Kong, A-)


THAI FILMS SEEN IN THE MARATHON FESTIVAL ON JULY 23, 2010:

1.ON THE DAY THAT RAINCLOUDS STILL FLOAT BY (Pongpun Yunchevit, 28 min, A++++++++++)
ในวันที่เมฆฝนยังคงล่องลอย (พงษ์พันธ์ ยืนชีวิต)
Pongpun also directed CLAIR DE LUNE (แสงจันทร์) (2009, 15 min), but I haven't seen it.

2.RED LEAF POETRY (Pongpun Yunchevit, 8 min, A+++++)
บทกวีใบไม้แดง (พงษ์พันธ์ ยืนชีวิต)
This is my comment in Thai on ON THE DAY THAT RAINCLOUDS STILL FLOAT BY and RED LEAF POETRY:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GIHMbsezJto

3.NIRVANA (Siwadol Ratee, 20 min, A+++++)
นิพพาน (ศิวดล ระถี)
This film is very brave. It questions some religious beliefs and asks us if it is right or not that Buddhist ordination is forbidden for disabled men.

4.FOREVER 1.5 (Worathep Tummaoros, 17 min, A+++++)
นิรันดร์ 1.5 (วรเทพ ธรรมโอรส)
I like it very much that this film seems to belong to no genre. While FOREVER (2009, Worathep Tummaoros, 10 min) is a fantasy-period film, this film doesn't restrict itself to be just a fantasy film. Thus, this second part ends up being even better than the first part. I like it very much that this film talks about some social trends in 2009-2010, including TWILIGHT and Korean girl groups.

5.THE DIARY OF THE JOURNEY (Panja Saithong, 14 min, A+)
บันทึกการเดินทาง (ปัญจะ สายทอง)
Panja made many films this year. I think he's got some talents. This is my most favorite film of his. I like it very much that this film spans the whole life of a man--childhood, adulthood, oldness. It is touching. I think it is successful in talking about some aspects of life.

6.LAND STORY (Sithipun Purkpun, documentary, 15 min, A+)
นิทานพื้นดิน (สิทธิพันธ์ เผือกพันธ์)
Sithipun Purkpun is a co-director of POSITIVE VIBRATION ยาใจคนจน (2007, 20 min).

7.THE PARALLEL AGE (Thapat Gitrujipark, animation, 4 min, A+)
นาฬิกาตื่น (ฐาปัฐว์ กิจรุจิภาคย์)
This lovely animation is about a stressed adult who learns to appreciate life again after he accidentally meets a playful child. The story of this film seems like a cliché, but somehow this beautiful animation finds a way to tell its story very pleasantly.

8.FIREFLY (Somporn Inaon + Norarit Tangpanichayanont,9 min, possibly A+)
นิทานหิ่งห้อย (สมพร อินอ่อน, นรฤทธิ์ ตั้งพานิชยานนท์)
I didn't see the first few minutes of this film. Is it about lesbianism?

9.PURE (Chaisiri Jiwarangsan, 7 min, A+/A)
น้ำนิ่ง (ชัยศิริ จิวะรังสรรค์)
Maybe I will like it more if I see it for the second time. I couldn't attune myself to the wavelength of this film in my first viewing, but one of my friends said that he loves the dark image of the fish in this film very much.

10.NAN (Nutpakal Kemkao, 15 min, A)
น่านนะสิ (ณัฐปคัลภ์ เข็มขาว)

11.INVISIBLE WALL (Phongsakan Sonklin, 7 min, A)
นักศึกษา (พงศกานต์ ซ่อนกลิ่น)
Phongsakan also directed WILD HORSE (2008, 6 min). I think most of his films that I saw share one thing: they usually end earlier than I expect. It seems like many of Phongsakan's films have only the first act and the second act, but not the third act. Is it his signature?

12.DREAM (Supasit Setprasert, 13 min, possibly A)
ในฝัน (ศุภสิทธิ์ เสร็จประเสริฐ)
I didn't see the first few minutes of this film. I think Supasit may become a Thai auteur in the future, because two of his films that I saw are very good, and both of them focus on discussion between characters about interesting dilemmas.

13.IN ROOM (Thakornpat Rojanawanich, 10 min, A)
ในห้องนี้ (ฐากรพัชร์ โรจนวานิช)

14.NOODLE RUSH (Surasak Jaipook, animation, 2 min, A-)
บะหมี่ด้วนด่วน (สุรศักดิ์ ใจพุก)

15.CLOCK (Wacharapol Saisongkroh, 4 min, A-)
นาฬิกา (วัชรพล สายสงเคราะห์)
I like the way the classroom scene is presented. It seems real. It seems like it can happen in real life or in everyday life of students. However, I give it only A- just because I don't normally appreciate didactic films or films with a message like this. I would prefer it if the film only shows two students talking without trying to teach anything to the audience.

16.LYRIC OF THE BLUE (Nat Puntawangkoon, 11 min, B+)
เนื้อเพลงบรรเลงอารมณ์ (ณัฐ ปัณฑวังกูร)

17.LOVE DIARY (Sirijan Sookyartjaroen, 30 min, B)
บันทึกแห่งรัก (ศิริจันทร์ สุขญาติเจริญ)

FAVORITE THAI FEMALE DIRECTORS LATELY

Favorite Thai Female Directors Lately:

1.Anocha Suwichakornpong (MUNDANE HISTORY)

2.Wasunan Hutawach (LOVE ME LOVE MY DOG เธอชื่อพระจันทร์, THIS WAY ทางออก)

3.Pattaraporn Werasakwong (BEHIND THE SEAWALL ทะเลจากกำแพง)

4.Visra Vichit-Vadakan (IN SPACE สูญญากาศ)

5.Arpapun Plungsirisoontorn (DRY FISH DAY DREAM ฝันตากแห้งของปลากลางแดด, ANGEL AND DEMON (AND THE PANDA GOD))

6.Chulaluck Gongpol (GOGO ลงสนาม)

7.Prawmalee Songmueng (MY FORTRESS OF HAPPINESS ความทรงจำในม่านตาของเธอ)

8.Najaree Ratanajiajaroen (THE RENOVATION OF THE TEMPLE บูรณะ)

9.Arpasri Thitatharn (AN(OTHER) สีน้ำเงินในโฆษณาผ้าอนามัย)

10.Suchana Mudgarun (HANABI)

11.Sinjai Piraisangjun (GOOD MORNING สวัสดี)

12.Siraprapa Puengton (PRINCESS เจ้าหญิง)

13.Nipaporn Kunsing (+ Pimpetch Pimthong) (CHANGING ความเปลี่ยนแปลง, RUNNING วิษณุมนต์)

14.Chunya Thawitangkoon (CIVIC EDUCATION ON CLIPS คลิปใหม่คนใหม่หัวใจพลเมือง)

15.Wanweaw + Weawwan Hongwiwat (DEAR MUM AND DAD)


--I don't know if Pimpetch Pimthong is a boy or a girl. I just know that this director is studying in Roi Ed province.

--The word "director" here means "film director". As for favorite Thai female stage play directors, there are many of them that I like.

--I only include directors whose films I have seen during the past few weeks.

--I still haven't seen many Thai films by female directors, though some of them are available in Youtube. I still haven't seen LAST DREAM (Supamittra Vorapongpichet), RUN AND HIT (Tuksina Pipitkul), SWEET MONOLOGUE (Gawisara Punnapanukool), MARCH OF THE STRANDED (Wanweaw + Weawwan Hongwiwat), REFLECT (Machima Ungsriwong), etc.

DARK WAY (2010, Gorragod Nonkhuketkong, A+++++)

THAI FILMS SEEN ON JULY 22, 2010:

1.DARK WAY (Gorragod Nonkhuketkong, 20 min, A+++++)
ทางอับแสง (กรกฎ โนนคู่เขตโขง)
This is my comment in Thai on DARK WAY:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nv9E3VQAMBo
You can watch DARK WAY here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7kCRwObVu1k

2.LOVE ME LOVE MY DOG (Wasunan Hutawach, 8 min, A+++++)
เธอชื่อพระจันทร์ (วสุนันท์ หุตเวช)
I like the scene in which the camera looks at the construction workers far away, though I don't know what it means. I also like the relationship between the heroine and her dog. It seems to be a loving relationship, but the dog has to be obedient and is not free. The dog shitting scene is as memorable as the shitting scene in KINGS OF THE ROAD (Wim Wenders).

3.MY ANGEL (Worathep Tummaoros, 60 min, A+++++)
นางฟ้าของฉัน (วรเทพ ธรรมโอรส)
I don't think I can follow the story in this film in only one viewing. I like the overall feelings in this film very much. It is full of unexplainable feelings, not purely romantic, sad, or funny like in most Thai films concerning love between university students.

4.THIS WAY (Wasunan Hutawach, documentary, 5 min, A+++++)
ทางออก (วสุนันท์ หุตเวช)
This is one of the best Thai political films made this year. Now I know what Palestinian people may feel when they have trouble travelling in their own homeland.

5.DUPE (Thitipong Ornsawai, 30 min, A+++++)
นวล (ฐิติพงศ์ อ่อนไสว)
This is my comment in Thai on DUPE:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ssNfcmd6qU0

6.ALL DAY (Maythus Thuesue, 12 min, A+++++)
ทุกวัน (เมธัส ถือซื่อ)

7.NONG JA, DUE BAEW DU (Gun Sangkaew, 12 min, A+++++)
น้องจ้า ดื้อ แบ๊ว ดุ (กันต์ แสงแก้ว)

8.NONTHABURI (Wasin Lorwatanatrakul + Puripant Ruchikachorn, 7 min, A+++++)
นนทบุรี (วาสิน หล่อวัฒนตระกูล, ภูริพันธุ์ รุจิขจร)
This is an extremely effective atmospheric ghost film. The dark atmosphere is used very well. I don't like the ending, though. I think if the film doesn't end like this or if the film doesn't reveal why that thing moves in the dark, the film would be as great as THE DRESS (2008, Napat Treepalawisetkun), and could inspire the viewers' imagination a lot.

9.ANGEL AND DEMON (AND THE PANDA GOD) (Arpapun Plungsirisoontorn, 3 min, A+)
เทวากับซาตาน (และเทพเจ้าหมีแพนด้า) (อาภาพรรณ ปลั่งสิริสุนทร)
Arpapun is still great at transforming found footage into a clever political film.

10. .5 LOVE (Kanwee Jandee, 10 min, A)
เที่ยงครึ่ง (กัลป์วีร์ จันทร์ดี)

11.WITHOUT ME (Nattavut Norasetsrisuk, 4 min, A/A-)
นอกจากฉัน (ณัฐวุฒิ นรเศธศรีสุข)
Nattavut seems to excel in mocking other things, including advertisement and music videos. If I remember it correctly, I don't like some political stuff at the end of this film. I also hadn't watched the original music video by Eminem before I saw this film, so I don't know how many original ideas of Nattavut are shown in this film.

12.DANGER IN FIGHTING (Prempapat Plittapolkarnpim, 8 min, A-)
นักบู๊มหาภัย (เปรมปพัทธ ผลิตผลการพิมพ์)
I think the film is very lovely and achieves its goal, though I wonder if people really wear all these stuffs when they attend a fighting class.

13.THIS IS SELECTED (Montree Seeboo, 11 min, A-/B+)
ทางเลือก (มนตรี สีบู่)

14.FIRE EXIT (Rachanon Taweephol, documentary, 12 min, B+)
ทางเดินแห่งสันติสุข (ระชานนท์ ทวีผล)
Rachanon also directed BEHIND THE SCENE (เบื้องหลังความสำเร็จ) (2006, 13 min, A+).

NATTO (2010, Pat Boonnithipat, A++++++++++)

THAI FILMS SEEN ON JULY 21, 2010:

1.NATTO (Pat Boonnithipat, 18 min, A++++++++++)
ถั่วเน่า (พัฒน์ บุญนิธิพัฒน์)
This is my comment in Thai on NATTO:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C6AXV9TJvP4

2.TIME TO BE... (Athawut Boonyuang, 12 min, A++++++++++)
ถึงแก่การกริยา (อรรถวุฒิ บุญยวง)
This film unintentionally reminds me of the power of some of Chantal Akerman's films, because this film doesn't give me catharsis or climax feeling when I was watching it. But a few days after I had seen this film, I found that the image of the woman on a boat in this film seems to be vividly imprinted in my memory, like the image of the sea at the ending of NEWS FROM HOME (1977, Chantal Akerman). I think TIME TO BE... is an instant classic Thai film.

3.BEHIND THE SEAWALL (Pattaraporn Werasakwong, animation, 7 min, A++++++++++)
ทะเลจากกำแพง (ภัทรภร วีระศักดิ์วงศ์)
Pattaraporn also directed APPLEIS0 (วันที่แอปเปิ้ลมีค่าเท่ากับศูนย์) (2009, animation, 2 min, A+). Though the drawing in Pattaraporn's animations is not outstanding, I still like the stories in both films very much. I also love the colors in BEHIND THE SEAWALL, and I love that the story in this film spans a few decades. This thing unintentionally reminds me of 20TH CENTURY BOYS trilogy. What the older generation tries to do but fails to complete can be completed successfully in the future by the next generation.

4.ON THE ROAD (Thepmanee Kittithavornkul, 22 min, A+++++)
ถนน (เทพมณี กิตติถาวรกุล)
This is as great as a narrative film can be.

5.TO (Uruphong Raksasad, 16 min, A+++++)
โต (อุรุพงษ์ รักษาสัตย์)
I don't know if this is a documentary or not, because everything in this film seems so real. I haven't seen this kind of things from Uruphong's films before, because most of Uruphong's films that I saw concern rural life.

6.ASPIRATION (Jakrapun Suebsaen, animation, 12 min, A+++++)
ทะยานอยาก (จักรพันธ์ สืบแสน)

7.WAY IN THE WOODS (Pisut Srimork, 11 min, A+/A)
ทางกลางป่า (พิสุทธิ์ ศรีหมอก)

8.PRE-ATTITUDE (Panu Saeng-xuto, documentary, 20 min, A+/A)
ทัศนอคติ (ภาณุ แสง-ชูโต)

9.IS IT LOVE, ISN'T (Thitipong Kerdthongthawee, 11 min, A+/A)
ถ้ามันใช่ มันก็คงใช่ (ฐิติพงศ์ เกิดทองทวี)

10.WAY (Rajapruk Tiyajamorn, 8 min, A+/A)
ทาง (ราชพฤกษ์ ติยะจามร)
Rajapruk also directed UNTITLED (ไม่มีชื่อ) (2008, 26 min).

11.GET IT BACK 3 (Wissanukorn Suwannasri, 30 min, A)
ทวงคืน 3 (วิษณุกร สุวรรณศรี)
Actually this film is very boring for me. If I judge this film only from the pleasure I get from this film, I might have given it B, because I don't enjoy watching these tanks fighting each other at all. I don't like most combat films or war films. However, I give it A for now, because I think this film is very unique.

Wissanukorn also directed GET IT BACK (2007, 19 min), GET IT BACK PART 2 (2007, 25 min), and BLACK SHADOW (นินจาเงา) (2007, 54 min). He also wrote a thesis titled THE DESIGN AND VALIDATION OF COMPUTER-ASSISTED INSTRUCTION PROGRAM ON BASIC AVIATION AERODYNAMICS, which can be read here:
http://www.gits.kmutnb.ac.th/ethesis/data/4720581109.pdf

12.THE SEA IN 2020 (Prempapat Plittapolkarnpim,1 min, A-)
ทะเล 2020 (เปรมปพัทธ ผลิตผลการพิมพ์)
I think this funny film is successful in conveying its message.

13.MY CULTURE (Jasme Jehtae, 8 min, A-)
ถั่วงอก (จาซมี เจ๊ะแต)

14.REPEAT OCCURRENCE (Veerayoot Grajangsri + Napat Tangsanga, 15 min, B+)
ทวิครา (วีรยุทธ กระจ่างศรี, ณภัทร ตั้งสง่า)
Veerayoot also directed BICYCLE (2009, 11 min).

GOOD MAN (2010, Panitharn Boontarig, A/A-)

This is my comment in FILMSICK's Facebook:

GOOD MAN (อยู่ในใจ) (Panitharn Boontarig, A/A-) is about a boy who wonders what the definition of good people is. He thinks that the street sweeper and the traffic policeman are not really "good people", because they are just doing their jobs. He thinks that the man who picks up garbage from the street to put it into the bin is the real good man, because that man does a good thing, though it is not that man's job.

I feel ambiguous with this film. Though I agree that that man might be better than the street sweeper, I still think that the people who do their own jobs are also good people. Because in my own definition of "good people", good people are the ones who don't harm other people unnecessarily. If anyone doesn't harm other people unnecessarily, I think that that person is a good person already. He doesn't have to do any extra activities in order to be called "a good person" by me.

But there's something I like in this film. The thing that I like is the ending in which the boy asks the man if he is a good person or not, but that man seems to fear the boy and tries to run away from the boy. This scene really shows how paranoid people in this society are. The man may really be a good man, but he is also afraid of making contacts with strangers. He is not a good man who is too optimistic for this world.

WHAT (อะไร) (Saowachai Riabsumret, B+) is about a man who is disturbed by a beggar boy on the street, because that beggar boy keeps calling him every time he walks past the boy. The man assumes that the beggar wants his money. But later he finds out that the beggar only wants to tell him that his pants are unzipped.

AVAJANA (อวัจจนะ) (Paranat Panarad, B+) is about two mute men who ask a little girl whether she prefers kindness or money. The girl prefers kindness.

UNCOMFORTABLY (อึดอัด) (Nattapol Artchawarungsun, A-/B+) is about a chess game in which the pawns are painted red and yellow. It also shows an image of a man who is drowned in a bathtub.

THE COLLECTORS (แอบ) (Chayanin Thanasukthaworn, A/A-) is about an orphaned man who works as a guard in an apartment building. He develops a sick imagination about the apartment tenants. He also tries to punish one of the tenants, because he assumes that the tenant abuses some students sexually.

TALK TO THE WORLD SECRETLY 1 (แอบคุยกับโลก 1) (Nattapat Promudom, B+/B) shows the world in the future when the world is flooded because of the global warming. It shows the images of floating houses in the future.

CLEAR EYES (Tawee Nuipree + Rossukon Suthiwong, A+++++)

THAI FILMS SEEN ON JULY 20, 2010:

1.CLEAR EYES (Tawee Nuipree + Rossukon Suthiwong, 21 min, A+++++)
ตาสว่าง (ทวี นุ้ยปรี, รสสุคนธ์ สุทธิวงษ์)
This is my comment in Thai on CLEAR EYES:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h27RFnM73fc

2.WATER MONITOR, NIGHTMARES, AND LITTLE BOY YOY (2010, Teerath Wangwisarn, 16 min, A+++++)
ตัวเ_ี้ย, ฝันร้าย และดช.หยอย (ธีรัช หวังวิศาล)
I like the complex structure of this film very much. Its "self-reflexiveness" reminds me of such film as BODILY FLUID IS SO REVOLUTIONARY (2009, Ratchapoom Boonbunchachoke). I also like its unresolved ending very much. Teerath is only 16 years old. I believe he is a genius like Chulayarnnon Siriphol, Tulapop Saenjaroen, Napat Treepalawisetkun, and Supakit Seksuwan who started making great films when they were in high-school. I hope Teerath will keep on making films every year, because it is sad for me to see some talented young Thai filmmakers seem to stop making films when they grow up, such as Chutchon Ajanakitti (THE OTHER WORLD, 2007), Rapeepun Leethong (MY FRIEND, 2005), and James Prutwarasin (STUDENT, 2005).

3.FABRICATIVE (Panapun Tangsomboon, 15 min, A+++++)
ตั้งแต่เกิด (ปนพันธ์ ตั้งสมบูรณ์)
I'm not sure if I understand this film or not, but it makes me think about conformist society. The conformist people are portrayed in this film as a manufactured doll which is painted "white" and covered from head to toes in fabric by a machine. I also like the feeling of coldness in this film. Its coldness and the way it looks at things reminds me of such films as OUR DAILY BREAD (2005, Nikolaus Geyrhalter) and IN COMPARISON (Harun Farocki), though FABRICATIVE may be more artificially beautiful than these two documentaries.

4.WONDERLAND (Puripant Ruchikachorn + Sirirat Kerdsawas + Wasin Lohwatanatrakul, 12 min, A+++++)
แดน-เนรมิต (ภูริพันธุ์ รุจิขจร, ศิริรัตน์ เกิดสวัสดิ์, วาสิน หล่อวัฒนตระกูล)

This film reminds me of STUDENT (2005, James Prutwarasin, A++++), which also looks at the unimportant activities of a young man. The film contains very little plot, but can make the activities look very real and very interesting. The feeling of loneliness and frustration in this film is much more real than the one in many other romantic Thai short films which also portray a young man in a lonely room.

5.TOO YEN BIN (Nathan Homsup, 19 min, A+++++)
ตู้เย็นบิน (ณัฏฐา หอมทรัพย์)
I don't like the violence in some films by Professional Dry Cleaner, of which Nathan is a member, so that's one of the reasons why I like this film very much, because it is not full of killing and shooting like in their other films. The sense of humor in this film is quite right and different from other Thai short films. The film is divided into many short stories. My most favorite ones are RIP and DANCE. Kajornpong Bunterngsuk gives one of the best performances in RIP. His face in RIP makes me laugh every time I think of it. I also like the editing in this story very much, because it makes the story much funnier. The actress in DANCE gives a very lovely and funny performance. I like it very much that the actress in DANCE can be funny without having to be as hysterical as the one in HEADLESS (2009, Dhan Lhaow, A+). Sometimes I like the hysterical performances, such as the one in CENSORSHIT! FATHER AND SON (2008, Professional Dry Cleaner), but sometimes I think being hysterical is too easy a way to make the audience laugh.

6.LITTLE BOY ON HIGH MOUNTAIN (Manasak Khlongchainan, documentary, 16 min, A+/A)
เด็กน้อยบนดอยสูง (มนศักดิ์ คล่องชัยนันต์)
If I remember it correctly, the film is quite good in portraying the problems of hilltribe people, but it doesn't really stand out from other films which deal with nearly similar issues, such as the films of Supamok Silarak.

7.STAR-HIGH LAND (Sittidech Rohitasuk, 45 min, documentary, A+/A)
แดนเสมอดาว (สิทธิเดช โรหิตะสุข)
Sittidech also directed ROO-GAROON (2009, 16 min, A+). I think this film suffers from too much poetry and too much didacticism. Somehow the films of Sittidech Rohitasuk, Pisut Srimork, Kanwee Jandee, Siwadol Ratee, and Rutjinakorn Chaihan give me roughly similar feelings. Among these five directors, I prefer Siwadol Ratee the most, and Rutjinakorn the least.

I once talked to my friends about this group of directors. I wonder if any of them can become Thai Jean Rouch in the future. My friend said that the main difference between these Thai directors and Jean Rouch may be the fact that some of these directors look at the issues in their films through the eyes of NGOs, not through the eyes of anthropologists. However, that doesn't mean looking through the eyes of NGOs is a wrong thing. It just means it is different from Jean Rouch's films or something like that. I think Supamok Silarak's films may be very NGO, but Supamok excels in doing this kind of films and he is a Thai auteur.

8.TA TAN HI YA BI (Witchuda Wongsri, 17 min, A+/A)
ตาตั้ลฮิญาบี้ (วิชชุดา วงษ์ศรี)

9.CHARCOAL BRAZIER (Pasuree Sripromma, 15 min, A-)
เตาถ่าน (ภาสุรีย์ ศรีพรหมมา)

10.GRANDDAD IN AND GRANDDAD NA (Pathompong Lomchai, animation, 2 min, A-)
ตาอินกะตานา (ปฐมพงษ์ ลมชาย)

11.MARK OF SIN (Yoknapa Ratanamanee + Somporn Kongrod, 18 min, A-/B+)
ตราบาป (หยกนภา รัตนมณี, สมพร คงรอด)

12.GRASS IN THE STORM (Supot Potong, 18 min, B+)
ต้นหญ้า กล้าพายุ (สุพจน์ โพธิ์ทอง)

LIGHT OF FAITH OVER CHAO PHRAYA RIVER (2010, Jirayuth Sinthupunt, A+++++)

THINGS SEEN OUTSIDE THE NEXT SHOT FESTIVAL:

1.UNCLE BOONMEE WHO CAN RECALL HIS PAST LIVES (2010, Apichatpong Weerasethakul, second time, A++++++++++)

It is still hard for me to describe why I like this film. The reasons why I like it may include:

1.1 Its unpredictability, from the strange dinner scene until the self-splitting scene near the end of the film.

1.2 Its opening scene, in which a buffalo tries to break free, but fails, makes me feel very sad. It makes me feel as sad as the scene in the dream about the future, in which people (and memory from the past) can be wiped out of this earth by the government.

1.3 I don't know what the intention of the director is. But the scene in the cave, in which the monkey-like monsters look at the dying Boonmee, inspires my imagination a lot. In my own imagination, these monkey-like monsters are the ghosts of the people who were killed by Boonmee. They are now waiting to drag Boonmee to hell. I like it very much that there seems to be no real redemption for Boonmee.

1.4 I like it very much that no one seems to care or to feel truly sad for the death of Boonmee. Jen seems to care for money, while Tong is ordained just for the tradition, not because he really feels sad for the death of Boonmee. Is the conflict between the roles these people play for the public and what they really are the reason for the self-splitting scene? I also like the conflict of the folklore princess. She seems to want to be loved as a beautiful person, not as a princess.

1.5 Its mingling of past, present, future, and the alternative present. "The past" as portrayed in this film may include the karma (the killing of communists), the dead people, the lost people, the memory, and the ancient time (as portrayed in the cave). Its ending unintentionally makes me think about the alternative present, or how we choose to do one thing or another in any second. Our decision in any second may lead to a very different future for us. This thing unintentionally reminds me of PRINCE OF PERSIA: THE SANDS OF TIME (2010, Mike Newell, A+++++) and THE STICKY FINGERS OF TIME (1997, Hilary Brougher, A+++++), which says, "Time has five fingers: the past, the present, the future, what could have been, and what yet may be."

2.LIGHT OF FAITH OVER CHAO PHRAYA RIVER (แสงศรัทธาเหนือลำน้ำเจ้าพระยา) (2010, Jirayuth Sinthupunt, stage play, A+++++)
You can read the review on this play in Thai by Tasanatas in Bioscope Magazine, issue 105, August 2010.

3.KEEP THIS DREAM FOR ME FOR A WHILE, I'LL RETURN TO IT LATER (ฝากฝันไว้เดี๋ยว จะเลี้ยวมาเอา) (1992, Somkiat Wituranich, Thailand, A+)

4.INCEPTION (2010, Christopher Nolan, A+)

5.EDGE OF DARKNESS (2010, Martin Campbell, A+/A)

6. TWILIGHT SAGA: ECLIPSE (2010, David Slade, A)

7.THE STORIES OF JAO GLAE (2010, Sinsawas Yodbangtoei, exhibition)

8.DOOR (2010, an exhibition by the Faculty of the Fine Art of Bunditpatanasilpa Institute)
The paintings I like very much in DOOR are MENTAL STATUS#5 by Kornrit Kreeyot and OLD AND NEW EQUILIBRIUM IN PADDY FIELD by Sarayut Inprayoon.


THINGS SEEN IN THE NEXT SHOT FESTIVAL ON JULY 18:

1.BASIC LANGUAGE (student of FAMU in Prague, Czech, animation, A+++++)
Unfortunately, I don't know the name of the director of this surreal film. I like its surreal quality very much. I would like to screen it together with other surreal or strange animations, such as ALL THE CHAPTER OF THE SONG YOU ATE ME (2006, Arnont Nongyao), CLASS SITUATION IN SOCIETY 3 (2008, Akegaluck Sagaew), THE INVISIBLE CITY (2007, Boonsri Tangtrongsin), STREET OF CROCODILES (1986, Stephen Quay + Timothy Quay, UK), and animations by Lutz Dammbeck.
http://www.edition-filmmuseum.com/product_info.php/language/en/info/p75_Lutz-Dammbeck--Filme-und-Mediencollagen-1975-1986.html

2.HOMELAND (2009, Juan de Dios Marfil Atienza, Czech, animation, A+++++)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rsg6Z4nO9pk

3.GRANDMASTER (2008, Rozálie Kohoutová, Czech, A+)

4.WHOOPS, MISTAKE! (2008, Aneta Kýrová, Czech, animation, A+)

5.BÁBA (2008, Zuzana Kirchnerová, Czech, A+)

6.ANYWHERE OUT OF THE WORLD (2010, Vincent Cardona, France, A+)

7.THE ROOM (2008, student of FAMU, Czech, A+)

8.BIRDS GET VERTIGO TOO (2010, Sarah Cunningham, France, A+/A)
http://www.premiersplans.org/festival/en/selection_officielle-competition-FE-film.php?id=208&p=3

9.IN THE MOOD FOR UNDERWEAR (2008, Jan Tesitel, Czech, A-)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rW99e6q37kA

SONBOL (2008, Niko Apel, A+)

FILMS SEEN IN THE NEXT SHOT FESTIVAL ON JULY 16, 2010:

1.SONBOL (2008, Niko Apel, Germany, documentary, A+)
http://www.dokweb.net/en/documentary-network/east-european-docs/-sonbol-1545/

I think this film is the documentary side of THE DAY I BECAME A WOMAN (2000, Marzieh Makhmalbaf).

Things I like in this film include:

1.1 The scene in which Sonbol and her mother perform a traditional dance in their own house. It gives me a good feeling, because Sonbol and her mother always argue with each other. So I feel relieved to see that they can still dance together. It is also a relief to see that they can enjoy themselves this way. If I understand it correctly, Iran doesn't like women to sing in public. This problem is portrayed in the film THE UNFINISHED SONG (2001, Maziar Miri, A+). So I feel good to see that they can still dance in private.

1.2 The story about her being jailed just for attending a party. The Iranian law is totally oppressive. It can ruin someone's life though that person never harms anyone. This part of the film reminds me of THE CIRCLE (2000, Jafar Panahi, A+).

1.3 The story about her failed marriage, which brings tear to Sonbol's eyes. It also shows her strength because she can survive all these disasters in her life.

1.4 The part which shows Sonbol getting lost while racing. It is unintentionally a metaphor for our lives. Some of us may get lost while trying to decide which path to choose in life. We may have taken some wrong paths in life, but we must not be panic, or spend too much time regretting our wrong decision, or blame it on other people who encourage us to choose the wrong path. We must be calm and use our brain to find a way out of our wrong path.

1.5 The part which deal with the unhappy life of Sonbol's assistant

I like SONBOL very much, and I think Niko Apel did her best in directing this film. It is a documentary, so Niko cannot make the story in the film to be more dramatic or more exciting than it actually is. As for now, I give the film A+, not A+++++, just because I don't think it really stands out from other films which also deal with the oppressed life in Iran, such as:

1.6 BE LIKE OTHERS (2008, Tanaz Eshaghian)

1.7 THE FIFTH REACTION (2003, Tahmineh Milani)

1.8 OUR TIMES (2002, Rakhshan Bani Etemad)

1.9 THE QUEEN AND I (2008, Nahid Persson)

1.10 PERSEPOLIS (2007, Vincent Paronnaud + Marjane Satrapi)


2.SHADOWS (2009, Hanna Bergholm, Finland, A+)

3.DIPLOMA (2009, Yaelle Kayam, Israel, A+)

4.LEBENSADER (2009, Angela Steffen, Germany, animation, A+)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y-3anKZyOz0

5.ANTHEM (2008, Elad Keidan, Israel, A+)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TmqFg5ZJ1pA

6.THE WAR WITHIN (2009, Astrid Schult, Germany, documentary, A+)
http://www.spiegeltvdistribution.com/SPTVDistribution/home.nsf/RefProgrammeKat/641D6D53EAFFA19BC12576DC0041ED39

7.GHOSTS (2009, Jan Ijäs, Finland, documentary, A)

8.MOBILE (2010, Verena Fels, Germany, animation, possibly A)
http://www.cartoonsbay.com/en/festival_awards/?c=miglior-colonna-sonora

9.THE BALLOON TRIP (2009, Jonas Kukkonen, Finland, A)
http://www.inthepalace.com/en/2010/film_palace_fest/film_program/by_film/films-go/byfilm/VA==/2220

10.DO NOT DISTURB (2009, Tommi Kainulainen, Finland, A)

11.STORE BOUGHT LOVE (2010, Soh Chin Hwee, Singapore, possibly A-)

THE LAST ELEPHANTS IN THAILAND (2009, Donald R. Tayloe + Michelle Mizner, A++++++++++)

This is my comment in Wise Kwai's blog:

http://thaifilmjournal.blogspot.com/2010/08/bangkok-indiefest-2010-festival-notes.html

I like THE LAST ELEPHANTS IN THAILAND very much, because it shows the extreme cruelty done to the elephants while training them to paint. I had never imagined it could be like this.

STAR, DUST (Karen Hanson) is the film which opens with images of things which seem like stars in space, but when the camera zooms out of these images, we find that they are actually X-ray images of our bodies.

LAST NIGHT (Ed Park) is the film in which a man and a woman talk to each other on a grass field. The woman said that it was the man's fault that he let her drive. Then there was blood streaming down the man's head. Then the camera zooms out of this couple, and we find that there was a crashed car near them. The woman and the man may already be dead.

FAVORITE CLIPS 8

FILMS

1.AGAINST IMPUNITY (2010, Azucena Rodriguez, A++++++++++)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kI0EJk7eY5s

2.BODY CRITICISM (2009, Chaiwat Wiansantia, A++++++++++)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kHkpr_gZ1bs

3.DARK WAY (2010, Goragod Nonkhuketkong, A+++++)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7kCRwObVu1k

4.WATER MONITOR, NIGHTMARES, AND LITTLE BOY YOY (2010, Teerath Wangwisarn, A++++++++++)
http://vimeo.com/9103890


SONGS
1.CIA DOPE CALYPSO – Allen Ginsberg
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vhDViHTOZ5c
Thanks to PC for telling me about this.

2.UNRAVEL – Bjork
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hwxcvdRx4lo
Thanks to Graiwoot for telling us about it.


OTHER THINGS
1.Gay Thai magazine shop
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MJEgAEh3jEg

2.OTHER NATION (2010, Plewplerng)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FT_1kjUL2zo

3.THE PARK (2010, Plewplerng)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wvmw4qVXePc

4.RED INDEX (2010, Plewplerng)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UEQ11MY_qGA

5.WINTA, YOU MAKE PONG ANGRY AT ME (2009, Tarnanun)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yXTVhysLQkc


FAVORITE CLIPS 1
http://celinejulie.blogspot.com/2009/05/favorite-clips-1.html
FAVORITE CLIPS 2
http://celinejulie.blogspot.com/2009/07/favorite-clips-2.html
FAVORITE CLIPS 3
http://celinejulie.blogspot.com/2009/10/favorite-clips-3.html
FAVORITE CLIPS 4
http://celinejulie.blogspot.com/2009/12/favorite-clips-4.html
FAVORITE CLIPS 5
http://celinejulie.blogspot.com/2010/01/favorite-clips-5.html
FAVORITE CLIPS 6
http://celinejulie.blogspot.com/2010/03/favorite-clips-6.html

FAVORITE CLIPS 7
http://celinejulie.blogspot.com/2010/06/favorite-clips-7.html

SOCIAL EFFECTS (2010, Samart Somboon, A+)

This is my comment in Filmsick's Facebook:

HEAVEN (สวรรค์) (Nattawut Poonpiriya, A+/A) is the film that you like very much. It stars foreign actors. It is about a woman who committed suicide. Then her ghost meets the ghost of a man who had been dead in the same room before her.

If I remember it correctly, HYPNOTIZE (สะกดจิตร) (Nattawut Praphongs, A+/A) is an animation about TV which hypnotizes the viewers. It ends with TV showing a zombie film near a coffin. And the power of the TV can resurrect the corpse in the coffin.

SOCIAL EFFECTS (สังคมสร้างความรู้สึก) (Samart Somboon, A+) is adapted from Win Leowarin's story, if I remember it correctly. The film is divided into three parts. The first part is about a Taxi driver who tries very hard to save money to buy a mobile phone for his daughter, but his daughter rejects it because it is not trendy. The second part is about a poor construction worker whose life is ruined because he was hit by a car. He can hardly walk now, but his son makes a crutch for him. The third part is about a car driver who is deceived by a group of beggar children. In the end, the three stories are connected.

0 (สูญ) (Sutthipong Kumhorm, A+) is an animation which I don't fully understand. I just remember that it has the image of an atomic bomb and the image of a tree which is worshipped by many people. I can't remember now why I gave it A+ after I just saw it. Maybe I gave it A+ because it makes me think that everything is going to return to zero. Everything cannot last and will be destroyed sooner or later.

FILMS ABOUT CHECHNYA WAR

My favorite films about Chechnya war are:

1.CHECHEN LULLABY (2001, Nino Kirtadze, Germany, documentary, 58 min)
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0311087/
I saw this documentary at the Goethe Institute in Bangkok. The part that I like very much is the part that deals with a female champion swimmer, who used to represent Commonwealth of Independent States (or ex-Soviet Union) in the Olympics, but now she fought for Chechnya and considers Russia as the enemy. It is very interesting that "a national heroine" of Soviet Union has turned to be the real enemy of Russia.

2. UNE FEMME À ABATTRE (2008, Olivier Langlois, France, 90 min)
I saw this film on the cable TV channel TV5MONDE ASIE. It deals with a woman who searches for her lost journalist-husband in Chechnya. Nino Kirtadze, the director of CHECHEN LULLABY, stars in this film.

3. MY STEP BROTHER FRANKENSTEIN (2004, Valery Todorovsky, Russia)
This film deals with a war veteran who comes back from Chechnya. The war has totally ruined his mind.

BALKAN FILM PROGRAM AT THAMMASAT UNIVERSITY LIBRARY

AUG 15

วันอาทิตย์ที่ 15 สิงหาคม
12.30 น. Time of the Gypsies - TV version (Yugoslavia, 1988, 270mins) กำกับโดย Emir Kusturica

AUG 22
วันอาทิตย์ที่ 22 สิงหาคม
12.30 น. Three (1965) กำกับโดย Aleksandar Petrovic
14.30 น. I Even Met Happy Gypsies (1967) กำกับโดย Aleksandar Petrovic

AUG 29
วันอาทิตย์ที่ 29 สิงหาคม
12.30น. Special Therapy (Yugoslavia, 1980, 94mins) กำกับโดย Goran Paskaljevic
14.30 น. Cabaret Balkan (Yugoslavia, 1998, 102mins) กำกับโดย Goran Paskaljevic


SEP 5
วันอาทิตย์ที่ 5 กันยายน
12.30 น. When I Am Dead and Gone (Yugoslavia, 1967, 79min) กำกับโดย Zivojin Pavlovic
14.30 น. The Medusa Raft (Yugoslavia ,1980, 101min) กำกับโดย Karpo Acimovic-Godina

SEP 12
วันอาทิตย์ที่ 12 กันยายน
12.30 น. Reconstruction (Romania, 1968, 99min) กำกับโดย Lucian Pintilie
14.30 น. A Bomb Was Stolen (Romania, 1961, 65min) กำกับโดย Ion Popescu-Gopo

SEP 19
วันอาทิตย์ที่ 19 กันยายน
12.30 น. The Stone Wedding (Romania, 1972, 90min) กำกับโดย Dan Pita, Mircea Veroiu
14.30 น. Where It Is Cold in the Sun (Romania, 1991, 91min) กำกับโดย Bogdan Dumiterscu

SEP 26
วันอาทิตย์ที่ 26 กันยายน
12.30 น. The Peach-Garden Trespasser (Bulgaria, 1964, 84min) กำกับโดย Vulo Radev
14.30 น. The Goat Horn (Bulgaria, 1972, 95min) กำกับโดย Metodi Andonov

OCT 3
วันอาทิตย์ที่ 3 ตุลาคม
12.30 น. A Matter of Dignity (Greece, 1957, 112min) กำกับโดย Mihalis Kakogiannis
14.30 น. The Idlers of the Fertile Valley (Greece, 1978, 118mins) กำกับโดย Nikos Panayotopoulos

THE FILMS OF WACHARA GUNHA, HIS GROUP, AND HIS FRIENDS (partial list)

Wachara Gunha, his group (The Underground Office), and his friends made many films which were shown in the Marathon Festival this year. A friend told me he likes one of Wachara's films very much, but can't remember its title and asked me which film it is. In order to answer my friend's question, I think I should make the list below and share it with everyone:


1.RESIST (Teerani Siangsanoh, 54 min)
RESIST (ธีรนิติ์ เสียงเสนาะ)

2.RUNNING (Wachara Gunha, 3 min)
กระต่ายในดวงจันทร์ (วชร กัณหา)

3.HUNTER THE BAG (Wachara Gunha + Thani Thitiprawat, 17 min)
กระเป๋า (วชร กัณหา, ธนิ ฐิติประวัติ)

4.THE FIRST OF DREAM (Adisak Muenming, 33 min)
ก้าวแรกสู่ความฝัน (อดิศักดิ์ เหมือนมิ่ง)

5.RED MOVIE (2010, The Underground Office, 30 min)
แกะแดง (สำนักงานใต้ดิน)

6.LAST OF THAILAND (Teerani Siangsanoh, 24 min)
ความทรงจำของเศษดาว (ธีรนิติ์ เสียงเสนาะ)

7.THE JUDGE (Wachara Gunha, 25 min)
คำพิพากษาของความรัก (วชร กัณหา)

8.CLEAR EYES (Tawee Nuipree + Rossukon Suthiwong, 21 min)
ตาสว่าง (ทวี นุ้ยปรี, รสสุคนธ์ สุทธิวงษ์)

9.PUSUMRA (Wachara Gunha, 22 min)
ผู้ชำระล้าง (วชร กัณหา)

10.DADDY (Wachara Gunha, 9 min)
พ่อครับ ผมรักพ่อ (วชร กัณหา)

11.DARK SLEEP (Teerani Siangsanoh, 15 min)
เพียงหลับใหลในเงามืด (ธีรนิติ์ เสียงเสนาะ)

12.FUENG (THE UNDERGROUND OFFICE) (Teerani Siangsanoh + Wachara Gunha + Thani Thitiprawat, 28 min)
เฟื่อง (ธีรนิติ์ เสียงเสนาะ, วชร กัณหา, ธนิ ฐิติประวัติ)

13.BLACK AND WHITE (Wachara Gunha, 12 min)
มนุษยธรรม (วชร กัณหา)

14.FIRST LOVE FIRST LAST (Wachara Gunha, 14 min)
รักเธอครั้งแรกรักเขาครั้งสุดท้าย (วชร กัณหา)

15.1BY1 (Thanachit Mungkunkamchaw, 10 min)
ลากเชือด (ธนชิต มุงคุณคำชาว)
Thanachit also directed ROOMS OF LIFE (ห้องชีวิต) (2008, 13 min).

16.TO WALK NIGHT (Thani Thitiprawat, 25 min)
วันวิปริต ไร้เงาดวงจันทร์ (ธนิ ฐิติประวัติ)

17.CLOSER (Wachara Gunha + Wisit Saonoy, 17 min)
สุดถวิลหา (วชร กัณหา, วิศิษฐ์ เสาว์น้อย)

18.DISAPPEAR (Thani Thitiprawat, 26 min)
อำพราง (ธนิ ฐิติประวัติ)
Wachara is not involved in this film, though his name appears in the thanking section in the ending credit.

This is a partial list, not a complete list, because Wachara made some other films which are too old to be submitted to the Marathon Festival this year. There may be 4-5 films directed by Wachara which are not in this list, including his first film made about four years ago for the Alzheimer project (if I remember it correctly).

Thank very much to Dhan Lhaow and Killpid Prodry for helping Graiwoot and me to meet Wachara on Tuesday.

Thank to the Thai Film Foundation for showing all the films above. I regret it very much that I didn't have a chance to see RESIST.

From all the 17 films I saw above, my most favorite ones may be FUENG, DARK SLEEP, RED MOVIE, THE JUDGE, and DISAPPEAR.

FAVORITE NEW THAI POTENTIAL AUTEURS

FAVORITE NEW THAI POTENTIAL AUTEURS:

1.Teerani Siangsanoh

2. Wachara Gunha

3.Thani Thitiprawat

4.Kriangkrai Watananiyom

5.Teerath Wangwisarn

6.Palakorn Kleungfak

7.Worathep Tummaoros

8.Viroj Suttisima

9.Chaisiri Jiwarangsan

10.Sittipong Patchagow

11.Athawut Boonyuang

12. Suebsang Sangwachirapiban + Powarong Boonchoui

13.Pattaraporn Werasakwong

14.Puripant Ruchikachorn

THE HOUSEMAID (2010, Anna Hoffmann, A++++++++++)

SEEN OUTSIDE THE NEXT SHOT FESTIVAL:

1.MONGA (2010, Doze Niu, Taiwan, A+)

2.DESIGN: LE CONCORDE (2007, Danielle Schirman, documentary, A+)
http://www.amazon.com/Design/dp/B000ROA04K

3.ICONS OF FRENCH DESIGN (curated by Cedric Morrisset, exhibition)


FILMS SEEN IN THE NEXT SHOT FESTIVAL ON JULY 15:

1.THE HOUSEMAID (2010, Anna Hoffmann, Germany, documentary, A+++++++++++)

I think this film is the humanist side of IMPORT/EXPORT (2007, Ulrich Seidl, A+).

Things I like in this film include:

1.1 How it shows the suffering of ordinary people in this world. I think the three main ladies in this film (the maid, the maid's mother, the employer) suffer or are unhappy with their lives, but they find it is very hard or impossible to improve their lives. And it is not their faults at all. Life is suffering, no matter whether you live in Eastern Europe or Western Europe. The maid and her family seems to suffer financially, while the employer suffers because of her old age, and we know that after this documentary ends, she may suffer more from her old age until she dies.

1.2 I want to cry when the mother finds out that her daughter is dismissed from her job. The film doesn't really emphasize on the mother's sadness, or the film doesn't show her sadness directly. By doing so, the film unintentionally allows me to imagine what I would feel like if I were the mother. And I think I would feel very sad. I imagine myself as a poor mother, a poor mother who fights hard with the difficulties in life, hoping that one day my daughter will escape poverty and have a stable life with food to eat and a house to live in. And then one day all this dream is destroyed, maybe temporarily, when I find out that my daughter is jobless again. This film is heartbreaking.

1.3 The film makes me feel suspicious about the real reason for the dismissal. The employer cited a few financial reasons for the dismissal, but I suspect the real reason might be the jealousy that the employer felt when she saw her maid touched the employer's paralyzed husband. Because this film is a documentary, we may never finds out the real reason. If this film was a fiction, maybe the filmmaker would have felt tempted to give us more clues about the real reason for the dismissal.

1.4 The film makes me feel ambiguous towards the employer. If this film was a fiction, maybe the employer would have been painted as a villainess. But because this film is a documentary, we are left wondering if the dismissal is really justified or not, if the maid is too lazy, if the maid really eats too much, if the antagonism between the employer and the maid is justified, etc. I end up feeling that I don't like the employer, but she is still very different from villainesses in fiction films. She is very old and has trouble moving around. Her husband is paralyzed. She has so many problems with her life now. I don't know if I should hate her or have a pity on her. She is just a human being. And I think I shouldn't judge a human being too easily.

1.5 If I were the employer, I might have committed suicide. I wouldn't have the strength to go on living like this. It is heartbreaking to see the old photographs of the employer and her husband. I imagine that their lives would have been full of happiness in the past, but happiness is temporary.

If I have to screen THE HOUSEMAID, I would like to screen it with two groups of films. The first group is films about maids. The second group is documentary films about difficult lives of women.

The first group of films consists of:

--HOME (2006, Wannisa Aiamlaong, Thailand, 18 min)
--LIVE-IN MAID (2004, Jorge Gaggero, Argentina)
--PARALLEL (2002, Panu Aree, Thailand, 13 min)

The second group of films consists of:

--LOVE AND DIANE (2002, Jennifer Dworkin, USA)
--OUR TIMES (2002, Rakhshan Bani Etemad, Iran)
--PAPER CANNOT WRAP UP EMBERS (2007, Rithy Panh, Cambodia)
--A WEDDING IN RAMALLAH (2002, Sherine Salama, Palestine/USA)
--WITTSTOCK, WITTSTOCK (1997, Volker Koepp, Germany)


2.TEARS OF THE FIREFLY (2009, Antoine Mocquet, France, A+++++)

3.BABA YAGA (2006, Frédéric Dano, France, A+++++)
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x1c5bm_babayaga_shortfilms

4.CLOSE FRIEND (2008, Patchara Eaimtrakul, Thailand, A+++++)

5.THE LINE THAT DIVIDES (Romain Beaudéan, France, A+)

6.DONE (2008, Andrea Brandao, Australia, A+)

7.EYES DOWN (Kamal Lazraq, France, A+)

8.SOI CHANG: ELEPHANTS ON THE STREET (2010, Low Ting Yi, Singapore/Thailand, documentary, A+)
http://repository.ntu.edu.sg/handle/10356/38793

9.LETHAL SQUARE (2008, David Ctiborsky, France, A+)

10.WHEN THE WIND BLOWS (2008, Skan Aryurapong, Australia, A+)
http://www.sydneyfilmschool.com.au/films/film-database.aspx?film=8785

11.EULOGY FOR EUGENE (2009, Ben Claremont, Australia, A+)
http://www.watchmoviee.org/uncatorized/eulogy-2009-v/

12.7:23 (2007, Brian Lien, Australia, A+)

13.OWNED (2009, Cara Lipson Dvorjak, Australia, A+/A)
http://www.stkildafilmfestival.com.au/details/122

14.4 ROLLS (2008, Gustavo Faraco, Australia, A)
http://www.sydneylatinofilmfestival.org/2009/films/4-rolls

15.HOTEL (2008, Erik Skanmyr, Australia, A)
http://erikskanmyr.com/motion2.html

16.LOVE SONG, THE MUSICAL (2010, Calvin Choo, Singapore, A)

FIRST DAY OF BANGKOK INDIEFEST

Most favorite films seen on Friday, August 6, 2010
http://www.bangkokfest.com/schedule_venues/schedule_venues.html

1.GOD IS AMERICAN (2007, Richard Martin-Jordan, A+++++++++++++++)
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1249387/

2.THE LAST ELEPHANTS IN THAILAND (2009, Donald R. Tayloe + Michelle Mizner, documentary, A+++++++++++++++)

3.THE MARINA EXPERIMENT (2009, Marina Lutz, documentary, A++++++++++)
http://vimeo.com/3906848

4.GO FOR IT (2009, Dejan Acimovic, documentary, A+++++)
http://eng.cinemacity.org/go-for-it.film.23.htm

5.THE MAGNITUDE OF CONTINENTAL DIVIDES (2009, Christopher Coleman, animation, A+++++)
http://vimeo.com/3901283

6.MU –EMPTINESS- (2010, Ria Ama, animation, A+++++)
http://vimeo.com/12796687

7.VITRUVIUS' TOYBOX (2005, Dennis Michael Iannuzzi, animation, A+++++)
http://www.ozarkfoothillsfilmfest.org/vitruvius_toybox.htm

8.LES INTESTINS DE LA TERRE (2006, Olivier Barbier, documentary, A+++++)
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xdhu4r_les-intestins-de-la-terre_news

9.10 YEARS TO NASHVILLE (2009, Katarzyna Trzaska, A+++++)
http://www.brooklynfilmfestival.org/films/detail.asp?fid=1091

10.PUFFER GIRL (2009, Joan C. Gratz, animation, A+++++)
http://gratzfilm.com/Gratzfilm/Joan_C._Gratz.html

11.THE CABLE CAR (2009, Claudius Gentinetta, animation, A+++++)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DDXDFMIXT9I

MOST FAVORITE FILMS IN MARATHON FESTIVAL

My most favorite films in the Marathon Festival 2010

1.FEUNG (Teerani Siangsanoh + Wachara Gunha + Thani Thitiprawat)


2. DARK SLEEP (เพียงหลับใหลในเงามืด) (Teerani Siangsanoh)

1920's -- Luis Buñuel (UN CHIEN ANDALOU)
1930's – Jean Cocteau (THE BLOOD OF A POET)
1940's – Maya Deren (MESHES OF THE AFTERNOON)
1950's – Kenneth Anger (INAUGURATION OF THE PLEASURE DOME)
1960's – Ingmar Bergman (THE SILENCE)
1970's – Andrei Tarkovsky (THE MIRROR)
1980's – Etant Donnes (L'AUTRE RIVE)
1990's – Fred Kelemen (KALYI – THE AGE OF DARKNESS)
2000's – Philippe Grandrieux (A LAKE)
2010's – Teerani Siangsanoh (DARK SLEEP and LAST OF THAILAND)

I don't mean to say that Teerani is as great as other directors in the list. What I want to say is that I love the mental space or the surreal feelings in the films by these directors very much.


3. RED MOVIE (แกะแดง) (The Underground Office)

Though I felt sad when I knew that there are no new films by Prap Boonpan or Manussak Dokmai shown in the Marathon Festival this year, my sadness is gone when I saw these weird political films: RED MOVIE, "CHAY, GAYVAH-RAR 'N' THE MACHUPICCHU" (Chaloemkiat Saeyong), WE WILL FORGET IT AGAIN (Napat Treepalawisetkun), BAD-GOOD 2013 (Viroj Suttisima), and THAI CONTEMPORARY POLITICS QUIZ (Scene 22).

4. 30 (Tossapol Boonsinsukh)

5. REMEMBRANCE (กาลานุสติ) (Sitthiporn Racha)

THE STORY ABOUT YOU AND ME (2010, Alwa Ritsila, A+++++)

THE STORY ABOUT YOU AND ME (2010, Alwa Ritsila, A+++++)

Compared to other recent films by Alwa Ritsila, I prefer this film to BANGKOK 2021 A.D.: DIRECTOR'S CUT (2010, A+) and MOFO LIFE SIZE DOLL 2 (2009, A+/A), but maybe I still prefer THE WITCH (2009, A+++++) to this film. THE STORY ABOUT YOU AND ME, like other recent films by Alwa, is too disturbing and too violent for me. But it is just the problem of my personal tastes. I just can't enjoy this kind of violence. However, there are a few things I like in this film, including:

1.The early scene in which the two characters talk on the bed. I think this scene is very natural, and unintentionally reminds me of some natural talking scenes in films by Eric Rohmer and Richard Linklater. It is very surprising to find this kind of feelings in Alwa's film.

2.The corpse eating scene is too disturbing for me, but I have to admit that it is very powerful. Its disturbing power unintentionally reminds me of THE DEATH KING (1990, Jörg Buttgereit. A+). I think this may be the first Thai film which can remind me of Jörg Buttgereit.

3. The scene in which the hero and the heroine are talking to each other in a small room, which looks like an attic. I like this scene very much, partly because it unintentionally reminds me of some German Expressionist films in the 1920's or something like that. The angles of things in this room look strange, and I like the large shadows on the wall very much. The bizarre angles, the dark shadows, the bizarre emotions, and the insanity of the characters in this scene unintentionally remind me of the feelings I get from some Expressionist films.

4.The romantic feelings between the two killers in this film is as disturbing for me as NATURAL BORN KILLERS.

5. In conclusion, the thing I like the most in this film may be the fact that it unintentionally reminds me of many films which shouldn't belong together. How can one film remind me of Eric Rohmer, Jörg Buttgereit, 1920's German films, ghost films, etc.? It is rare to find a film like this. THE STORY ABOUT YOU AND ME is unique.