Thailand to hold international film festival in September

BANGKOK, July 29 (Xinhua) -- Bangkok International Film Festival 2008 will be held on Sept. 23-30 in the Thai capital to showcase Thai films and attract more filmmakers as well as tourists to the country, Thai authorities announced Tuesday.

The festival, an annual event sponsored by the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) since 2003, will take place between Sept. 23 and 30 at the SF Cinema inside a downtown modern shopping complex, with the climax on Sept. 28 of the "Golden Kinnaree Awards" ceremony.

The Kinnaree was a half-bird, half-human symbol from Thailand's mythical culture. More than 100 films from Thailand and around the world are expected to be shown during the one-week event, while a number of the films will enter the competitive sections for the "Golden Kinnaree Awards".

This year, the TAT will, for the first time, partner with the Federation of National Film Associations of Thailand (FNFAT) to present the festival.

This indicates that more investment and support might come from the government for the country's film industry, which has been running the business in an independent manner.

FNFAT Executive Director Srirat Nujaniyama told Xinhua that he believed the strengths of Thai films were the high level of quality and artistry.

Over 100 films were produced in Thailand last year, generating a revenue of 27 billion baht (808 million U.S. dollars) for the country, said Srirat.

The FNFAT now aims high for a future good growth of the industry, since Thai films have gained fame internationally in recent years. The Federation also wants to help promote the production and sales of smaller-size producer companies and small budget films, especially short films, to improve their competitiveness in both domestic and overseas market.

Just last month, the International Indian Film Academy (IIFA) Awards, or a Bollywood version of Oscars and an annual event since 2000 aimed to promote India films worldwide with strong government support, were unveiled in Bangkok, its eighth destination of a global road show.

When asked if the Thai film industry will employ similar tactics to promote. Srirat replied, "Very soon. Now we have to do it step by step."