After a long hiatus of thirteen years, the Bangkok Experimental Film Festival staged a triumphant return this year. The 7th Bangkok Experimental Film Festival (เทศกาลหนังทดลองกรุงเทพฯ ครั้งที่ 7) took place from 25th January to 2nd February, at a cinema in the new One Bangkok complex. The festival’s theme this time around was Nowhere Somewhere (ไร้ที่ มีทาง), and one of its highlights was Riding the Shortbus on 27th January: a screening of the transgressive comedy Shortbus followed by a Q&A with its director, John Cameron Mitchell. (Shortbus was also shown at the 2007 Bangkok International Film Festival.)
The festival offered another chance to participate in the virtual reality version of Apichatpong Weerasethakul’s A Conversation with the Sun (บทสนทนากับดวงอาทิตย์), which was previously shown at the Thailand Biennale in Chiang Rai. There were around 100 timeslots for the VR experience, all of which sold out in a matter of minutes. Viewers wearing VR headsets found themselves in a large cave, and the sun rose out of the ground into the sky. It was an overwhelming experience, and a hugely ambitious project. The film includes a shot of monarchy-reform protesters at Ratchaprasong in Bangkok (filmed on 25th October 2020), which also appears on the cover of the festival catalogue.
There was an onstage conversation between Apichatpong and Tilda Swinton, The Last Thing You Saw That Felt Like a Movie: An Encounter (ภาพสุดท้ายคล้ายหนัง บทสนทนา), on 25th January, which also featured a performance by Swinton. (Apichatpong and Swinton previously took part in a Q&A at the Thai premiere of Memoria.) Apichatpong also appeared at Dreams / Distortions / Disruptions (ฝัน / ปั่น / ป่วน), a panel discussion about the development of experimental cinema with five other directors, moderated by Chulayarnnon Siriphol, on 26th January.
A workshop gave participants the chance to make their own 16mm films, which were screened on 1st February as part of a series of events titled Before We Go. One of those who took part was the artist Oat Montien, who directed an explicit film about gay cruising. To desaturate the colour, Oat mixed his own semen into the developing fluid while processing the film. (Viewers were required to sign consent forms acknowledging that they were at least twenty years old.)
The festival offered another chance to participate in the virtual reality version of Apichatpong Weerasethakul’s A Conversation with the Sun (บทสนทนากับดวงอาทิตย์), which was previously shown at the Thailand Biennale in Chiang Rai. There were around 100 timeslots for the VR experience, all of which sold out in a matter of minutes. Viewers wearing VR headsets found themselves in a large cave, and the sun rose out of the ground into the sky. It was an overwhelming experience, and a hugely ambitious project. The film includes a shot of monarchy-reform protesters at Ratchaprasong in Bangkok (filmed on 25th October 2020), which also appears on the cover of the festival catalogue.
There was an onstage conversation between Apichatpong and Tilda Swinton, The Last Thing You Saw That Felt Like a Movie: An Encounter (ภาพสุดท้ายคล้ายหนัง บทสนทนา), on 25th January, which also featured a performance by Swinton. (Apichatpong and Swinton previously took part in a Q&A at the Thai premiere of Memoria.) Apichatpong also appeared at Dreams / Distortions / Disruptions (ฝัน / ปั่น / ป่วน), a panel discussion about the development of experimental cinema with five other directors, moderated by Chulayarnnon Siriphol, on 26th January.
A workshop gave participants the chance to make their own 16mm films, which were screened on 1st February as part of a series of events titled Before We Go. One of those who took part was the artist Oat Montien, who directed an explicit film about gay cruising. To desaturate the colour, Oat mixed his own semen into the developing fluid while processing the film. (Viewers were required to sign consent forms acknowledging that they were at least twenty years old.)
Following a call for submissions last year, more than 500 films were received. Sixty-seven titles were selected, screening in fourteen Open Call (โอเพ่น คอลล์) programmes curated by Wiwat Lertwiwatwongsa and Chayanin Tiangpitayagorn.
The Body Craves Impact as Love Bursts (ร่างกายอยากปะทะ เพราะรักมันปะทุ) by Wattanapume Laisuwanchai was shown in Open Call no. 2, On Gazing Back at the Big Brother, an Ever-watchful Observer (การจ้องมองกลับไปยังพี่เบิ้ม (บิ๊กบราเธอร์) ผู้สังเกตการณ์ที่เฝ้าระวังอยู่เสมอ), on 25th, 27th, and 30th January. No Exorcism Film by Komtouch Napattaloong was part of Open Call no. 8, On Gazing Back at War and Its Aftermath (การจ้องมองกลับไปที่สงครามและผลที่ตามมา), on 25th–26th January and 1st February. On Gazing at the Spirit of Resistance and Its Weight (การจ้องมองดูจิตวิญญาณแห่งการต่อต้านและมวลน้ำหนักของมัน), Open Call no. 14, featured Weerapat Sakolvaree’s Nostalgia, on 25th and 29th January, and 2nd February.
No Exorcism Film was previously screened at last year’s Short Film Marathon (หนังสั้นมาราธอน), The 28th Thai Short Film and Video Festival (เทศกาลภาพยนตร์สั้น ครั้งที่ 28), and Wildtype 2024. Nostalgia has previously been shown at Nitade Experimental Shorts, the Chiang Mai Film Festival (twice), Bangkok University, Future Fest 2023, Wildtype 2022, and The 26th Thai Short Film and Video Festival (เทศกาลภาพยนตร์สั้น ครั้งที่ 26).
The Bangkok Experimental Film Festival—originally known as the Bangkok International Art Film Festival (เทศกาลภาพยนตร์ศิลปะนานาชาติ กรุงเทพ)—was founded by Apichatpong and curator Gridthiya Gaweewong in 1997, which was a pivotal year for Thai cinema. The Thai Short Film and Video Festival (เทศกาลภาพยนตร์สั้น) also began in 1997 (and is still going strong). 1997 also marked the start of the Thai New Wave, when Nonzee Nimibutr’s debut film Dang Bireley’s and Young Gangsters [sic] (2499 อันธพาลครองเมือง) broke domestic box-office records and Pen-ek Ratanaruang’s debut Fun Bar Karaoke (ฝันบ้าคาราโอเกะ) premiered at the Berlinale. (Thai Cinema Uncensored describes the “confluence of events” that took place in 1997.)
The Bangkok Experimental Film Festival was last held in 2012, at Bangkok Art and Culture Centre. The previous event took place in 2008, at the Esplanade cinema.
No Exorcism Film was previously screened at last year’s Short Film Marathon (หนังสั้นมาราธอน), The 28th Thai Short Film and Video Festival (เทศกาลภาพยนตร์สั้น ครั้งที่ 28), and Wildtype 2024. Nostalgia has previously been shown at Nitade Experimental Shorts, the Chiang Mai Film Festival (twice), Bangkok University, Future Fest 2023, Wildtype 2022, and The 26th Thai Short Film and Video Festival (เทศกาลภาพยนตร์สั้น ครั้งที่ 26).
The Bangkok Experimental Film Festival—originally known as the Bangkok International Art Film Festival (เทศกาลภาพยนตร์ศิลปะนานาชาติ กรุงเทพ)—was founded by Apichatpong and curator Gridthiya Gaweewong in 1997, which was a pivotal year for Thai cinema. The Thai Short Film and Video Festival (เทศกาลภาพยนตร์สั้น) also began in 1997 (and is still going strong). 1997 also marked the start of the Thai New Wave, when Nonzee Nimibutr’s debut film Dang Bireley’s and Young Gangsters [sic] (2499 อันธพาลครองเมือง) broke domestic box-office records and Pen-ek Ratanaruang’s debut Fun Bar Karaoke (ฝันบ้าคาราโอเกะ) premiered at the Berlinale. (Thai Cinema Uncensored describes the “confluence of events” that took place in 1997.)
The Bangkok Experimental Film Festival was last held in 2012, at Bangkok Art and Culture Centre. The previous event took place in 2008, at the Esplanade cinema.