RECENT & NOTABLE PRESS [email protected] Post Offce Box 1163 www.lpflmfest.org +856 (0)20 5682 8055 Luang Prabang, Lao PDR www.facebook.com/lpflmfest | Home | Spotlight | Politics & Economy | Business | Markets | Tech & Science | Viewpoints | Life & Arts | Features | Regions | Life & Arts > Arts January 1, 2018 5:20 pm JST Laos Film Festival Nurtures Big Screen Dreams Luang Prabang has no cinema, but annual event is attracting growing global attention RON GLUCKMAN, Contributing writer A jury chose Induangchanty's script for his film second feature, which has also generated an editor at the Bangkok Post newspaper and Vietnamese rock scene of the 1990s, was like a "Raising a Beast" as the winnter in the talent interest from Japan, where her 2013 debut film, the writer of many films, the panel bemoaned mixture of "Back to the Future" and "Wayne's lab competition, awarding it a mentoring "Shift," was a surprise hit. the scarcity of funding and distribution World." package provided by the non-profit Tribeca opportunities. Thai cinemas favor Hollywood Film Institute in New York. The prize includes blockbusters over local productions, panel Movies were screened back-to-back, with six help to prepare this filmmaker to attend and members said. They discussed quota systems showing per day, and viewers registering their pitch his project during the next Tribeca Film to prioritize homegrown productions, a approval afterwards. The Audience Choice Festival in New York in April. mechanism that has proved effective in Award went to "Redha," directed by Mona Riza, nurturing South Korean moviemaking. which was chosen for submission to the U.S. Laotian filmmaker Xaisongkham Induangchanty is "For me, this is really huge," said the Academy Awards from Malaysia. She also proclaimed the winner of the Talent Lab competition at the Vientiane-based filmmaker, who turned 39 participated in the panel, "Muslim Voices of Luang Prabang Film Festival as his producer Abigail Lazaro just after the festival. He is part of Lao New Southeast Asia," which was especially topical takes the microphone. (Courtesy of the Luang Prabang Wave Cinema, a production company, but like in the light of international controversy over Film Festival) many Laotian colleagues he mainly earns his the plight of Myanmar's Muslim Rohingya living working for foreign film crews, or on population. LUANG PRABANG, Laos -- Boating along a commercials. Yet making films for the silver Luang Prabang Film Festival founder and director Gabriel serene stretch of the Mekong River near the screen has always been his goal. "I've had this The directors of more than half of the 32 films festival in 2016 at Kuperman's urging. "He told Kuperman hosts a boat trip on the Mekong where the UNESCO World Heritage town of Luang idea in my head for a long time," he said of his screened were at the festival, providing a rare me, just come and see for yourself," she said. "I winners of the Talent Lab were announced. (Photo by Ron Prabang, some passengers were overcome with planned first feature, a family drama. level of interaction. All the films and events just loved it. This is such a wonderful festival." Gluckman) emotion. "I screamed," said Xaisongkham In coming months, Induangchanty will be were free of charge, and exhibitions filled the Induangchanty. "We all screamed." Tears helped to hone his proposal, then transported New York Pipedream town, including photographs of historic poured down Siege Ledesma's face. "I cried to New York for scores of meetings with film cinemas in Myanmar, with Philip Jablon, an ugly," she confided. "Really ugly." producers and investors who may be willing to The unlikely film festival in Luang Prabang, a American based in Thailand, speaking about finance the film, according to Bryce Norbitz, former kingdom of the upper Mekong, began his long-term Southeast Asia Movie Theater Their tears were an expression of joy, unrelated manager of artist programs at Tribeca Film as the pipedream of Gabriel Kuperman, a Project. Jablon has journeyed to remote to the beauty of the surrounding scenery: Both Institute. "Our goal is to help these filmmakers young New Yorker who first visited the town on corners of the region to document old were filmmakers attending the Luang Prabang succeed," Norbitz said. a backpacking trip in 2008. Charmed by the Censorship is a regional concern, including in cinemas, many under threat, shuttered or since Film Festival in mid-December, where they riverside temples, palaces and colonial estates Thailand, which has been ruled by a military demolished, and will be publishing a book participated in a competition for young dating from the French Indochina period, he government since a coup in 2014. Anocha soon. filmmakers seeking funding. On the boat trip, returned to realize his vision of an Suwichakornpong, a Thai director, said that they were announced as winners. international-quality film festival in an idyllic her film, "By The Time it Gets Dark," about a Kuperman praised the participation of but challenging setting. massacre of students in 1976, was shut down Tribeca, another sign that Southeast Asian Held annually since 2010 in this picturesque for a day by the army on the anniversary of the films are increasingly on the global map. "It's a Mekong town, the festival shows productions Besides the lack of a cinema, Luang Prabang killings. "They never explained why," she said. natural partnership for us, and I really love from across Southeast Asia, even though also struggles with electricity and Ironically, her film was Thailand's submission how they have tapped into what we are doing," Luang Prabang lacks a cinema. Movies are telecommunications. The festival must also for nomination in the best foreign film he said. He also lauded the increasing level of screened in a wooden hall at the Sofitel Luang deal with the reservations of a reticent category in the Oscars, awarded by the U.S. regional co-productions, which was a hot topic Prabang hotel, and in the open air in the main government that remains among the most Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. at the festival. square. In a town of 50,000 people, the conservative of the communist regimes in The Luang event may be the world's only major festival in a Southeast Asia. Other films included the documentaries Induangchanty plans to direct "Raising a twice-nightly screenings drew overflowing town without movie theaters. Open air viewing every night "Burma Storybook," which uses poetry to Beast" when funding is secured, but has also crowds. in the town’s main square attracted big crowds. (Courtesy of the Luang Prabang Film Festival) Yet the festival continues to shine, expanding depict Myanmar's emergence from isolation brought on board Abigail Lazaro from the The opportunities presented to filmmakers every year, as Kuperman unveils new programs after decades of military rule, and Philippines, as producer. The pair met at and film buffs was even bigger: a chance to see Ledesma's prize was in some ways even more targeted at issues important to Asian "Motherland," a whirlwind tour of the planet's another workshop earlier in Phnom Penh, top features and documentaries from around substantial -- a $10,000 award from Aurora filmmakers, with special attention always busiest maternity hospital, in the Philippines. Cambodia. Lazaro's co-producer is Southeast Asia, to network, attend panels Media Holdings, a Singapore media given to Laos. Among the programs of short There were commercial features such as Lao-American Steve Arounsack, making this featuring regional and international cinema investment company. Her planned feature, films, one focused on budding talent in Laos. "Jailbreak," a Cambodian prison film, and the the first Laotian-Philippine-American experts and nurture hopes for the big screen. "Cat Island," is set in Japan. She is free to use love story "Saving Sally," from the Philippines. production. For struggling filmmakers from poor countries, the funds as she chooses, but could work with Thailand was featured in the festival's annual Indian filmmaker Amit Dubrey previewed his such as Induangchanty, who is from Laos, the Aurora to raise additional capital toward her "country spotlight" segment, with forceful Cambodian psycho-thriller "Mind "You can see how fast things are growing in this festival can serve as an unrivaled field of budget of about $500,000. In any case, the moviemakers showing their films and Cage." "Fanatic," a slick comedy about the region," said Norbitz, who first attended the dreams. prize focuses vital attention on her proposed discussing challenges. Led by Kong Rithdee, Page 1 of 2 | Home | Spotlight | Politics & Economy | Business | Markets | Tech & Science | Viewpoints | Life & Arts | Features | Regions | Life & Arts > Arts A jury chose Induangchanty's script for his film second feature, which has also generated an editor at the Bangkok Post newspaper and Vietnamese rock scene of the 1990s, was like a "Raising a Beast" as the winnter in the talent interest from Japan, where her 2013 debut film, the writer of many films, the panel bemoaned mixture of "Back to the Future" and "Wayne's lab competition, awarding it a mentoring "Shift," was a surprise hit. the scarcity of funding and distribution World." package provided by the non-profit Tribeca opportunities. Thai cinemas favor Hollywood Film Institute in New York. The prize includes blockbusters over local productions, panel Movies were screened back-to-back, with six help to prepare this filmmaker to attend and members said. They discussed quota systems showing per day, and viewers registering their pitch his project during the next Tribeca Film to prioritize homegrown productions, a approval afterwards. The Audience Choice Festival in New York in April. mechanism that has proved effective in Award went to "Redha," directed by Mona Riza, nurturing South Korean moviemaking.