The 1st Doi Saket International Film Festival 2010

A provincial movie showcase that aims to make cinema more accessible and encourage communication between artists and audience.

It’s the first Doi Saket International Film Festival (DSIFF), and from Oct 23 to 30 it will be at different venues in Doi Saket district and other locations within the city of Chiang Mai.

It is open to artists, students, children and young people – in fact anyone who’s keen to watch an assortment of films from Thailand and abroad, entirely free of charge.

The organisers of DSIFF have a laudable ambition: they want it to be a model for providing opportunities for film festivals and filmmakers to communicate with members of local communities free from the restrictions imposed by the standard system of theatre screenings.

They hope that a less formal and less restrained approach will enable people in the community to feel free to come in and watch the films, as well as foster direct communication between artists and the public.

“It’s often been said that non-mainstream or independent films are not suitable for Thai people,” said Patavee Viranuvat, the festival’s director.

“What we seem to have forgotten is that a lot of Thai people simply don’t have the money to travel to a movie theatre to watch a film.

“That’s why there’s a gap in communication – and the filmmaker misses out, too, because his work won’t be seen by people who live in more remote areas.”

The festival will see the screening of some 80 films from over 20 countries. Productions from Thailand include Mundane History (Jao Nok Krajok) by award-winning director Anocha Suwichakornpong and produced by Soros Sukhum and Anocha Suwichakornpong.

Mundane History received support from the Rotterdam International Film Festival’s Hubert Bals Fund for script development, in addition to post-production support from the Asian Cinema Fund (ACF) of Pusan International Film Festival. It had its world premiere at Pusan last year.

Other interesting films are Pan Fah directed by Hamer Salvala, and Four Seasons, directed by Chaisiri Jiwarangsan, both from Thailand, Love Suicides from Malaysia, directed by Edmund Yeo, Monkey Love from Japan, directed by Royston Tan, and Supergirl from France, directed by Juliette Sales and Fabien Suarez.

Highlights of the festival include a discussion on freedom of expression in Thailand, and the screening of CalArts Shorts: Portrait Documentaries from a Woman’s Perspective, made possible by the support of the 7th Bangkok World Film Festival 2009.

There will also be an awards ceremony for films in a number of categories: Best Film, Best Director, Best Cinematography, Best Production Design, Best Editing and Best Actor, all of whom have been selected by jury members of DSIFF.

The festival will also see the presentation of a Lifetime Achievement Award for two people who have made significant contributions to the film industry, and who are considered an inspiration to emerging artists and filmmakers.

This year, DSIFF will present this award to Dome Sukawong, who has dedicated himself to the establishment of the National Film Archive of Thailand, and posthumously to the late Sitthipong Kalayanee, the founder and the director of Images Asia Inc, filmmaker and life-long human rights exponent.

The first Doi Saket International Film Festival is supported by Alliance Francaise – Chiang Mai, Rajamangala University of Technology Lanna, Kaewpanya and Digital Mixes Co.

For more information about the Doi Kaset Festival, please visit http://www.dsiff.tumblr.com, email doisaket.interfilmfest@gmail.com or call 084-438-3405.