MUMBAI: With just four weeks to go, the Phuket Film Festival, which runs 4 – 13 June, is firming up its film lineup.
The Festival kicks off with the Italian romantic drama, Per Sophia. Director Ilaria Paganelli will attend screenings of her film.
Paresh Mokashi’s debut film, Harishchchandrachi Factory will be the Festival’s Opening Film. Factory was the Indian submission to the 2010 Academy Awards Foreign Language Films category.
Mokashi’s film also begins a Spotlight on Indian Films that have gone international. Festival will screen the largest grossing film in India last year,3 Idiots and the comedy Chandni Chowk to China.
"We wish to thank the Indian film industry for using Thailand as a film and TV production base," said festival director Scott Rosenberg. "We are screening not only Indian films, filmed in Thailand, but other international films that have used the wonderful landscapes available in the Kingdom."
Once such movie, The Prince and Me 4: The Elephant Adventure, will have its Thailand premiere at PFF followed by a concert by the renowned rap band Thaithanium.
On Saturday and Sunday, 5 & 6 June two benefit screenings will take place, the movie Soi Dogs benefitting the Phuket Soi Dog Foundation and the UNDP produced Anatomy of a Recovery, benefiting the Chumchonthai Foundation (who work with Sea Gypsies affected by the 2004 Tsunami).
The Australian musical/comedy Bran Nue Dae, will screen Monday as will Adrian Grenier’s Teenage Paparazzo. This will be an international premiere for TP, the first time it has played outside the USA.
Other highlights include the Vietnamese action/thriller Bay Rong (Clash), the controversial USA/Cambodian documentary Who Killed Chea Vicea and the Thailand premiere of Bitter/Sweet. Two classic French movies will screen, Breathless and Princes et Princesses.
"Many movies have receptions/parties attached", said Rosenberg. "We are trying to keep to our objective of having PFF a fun festival." The Festival’s Gala Opening and Awards will be held on 5 June, at the Royal Phuket Marina. Event is co-hosted by Global-i-care and Skippers Restaurant.
Festival will also have an Alternative Lifestyle Day on 9 June screening Gus Van Sant’s Milk and the classic My Own Private Idaho.
A Festival of Short Films screening 5 shorts from around the world will also play.
New this year will be a Meet the Directors series of films: a small intimate group of film lovers watching movies with the film’s director in a beautiful open air location overlooking the ocean at Yamu.
Rounding out the Festival will be the Phuket premiere of the omnibus Sawasdee Bangkok and the World Première of acclaimed Thai Director Yuthlert Sipapak’s Friday Killers. Director Yuthlert will screen his Director’s Cut of the movie.
