The Bangkok International Film Festival opened its second edition Saturday with a red carpet ceremony on the Chao Phraya riverfront at ICONSIAM, launching two weeks of screenings across the city as part of a government backed push to raise Thailand’s profile as a filmmaking hub. Princess Ubolratana Rajakanya Sirivadhana Barnavadi presided over the ceremony as guest of honor, and Culture Minister Saida Thaiseth also addressed the gathering. The festival, known as BKKIFF, runs through September 27 and will screen 155 films, many with free admission, at venues including ICONSIAM, Siam Paragon, SF Cinema, House Samyan, Docu Club and the newly opened Cloud 11.
The opening film was “9 Temples to Heaven,” directed by Thai filmmaker Sompot Chidgasornpongse and produced by Palme d’Or winning director Apichatpong Weerasethakul, for whom Chidgasornpongse previously worked as an assistant director. The film follows a Thai family on a one day pilgrimage to nine Buddhist temples after a fortune teller warns that the family’s elderly matriarch may not live to see her next birthday.
The film carries significant momentum into its Thai premiere. It debuted at the Cannes Film Festival in May, where it played in the Directors’ Fortnight section, the first Thai feature to appear in that program in close to two decades, and was nominated for the Caméra d’Or. It went on to win the best director and best actor prizes at the Shanghai International Film Festival and best film honors at the New Zealand International Film Festival. In late August, Thailand’s National Federation of Motion Pictures and Contents Associations selected the film as the country’s official submission for best international feature at the upcoming Academy Awards, choosing it from a shortlist of eight after reviewing 51 eligible titles. The film opens in Thai cinemas nationwide on September 17.
This year’s festival theme, “Connecting Stories, Creating Opportunities,” reflects organizers’ stated goal of linking Thailand’s film industry with international partners and audiences. The opening night red carpet drew actors and directors from Thailand alongside counterparts from South Korea, Japan, Malaysia, Indonesia, China, Vietnam and Myanmar.
The event marks the festival’s second edition since organizers revived it last year after a long hiatus. Its earlier incarnation was last held in 2009. The festival receives backing from Thailand’s Ministry of Culture through the Department of Cultural Promotion, part of a broader government effort to expand the country’s creative industries and position Bangkok as a regional center for film production and co-production.
Beyond screenings, the festival includes an international competition and a New Voice competition spotlighting emerging Asian filmmakers, along with a newly introduced award for the best film from Southeast Asia. Organizers are also staging a retrospective honoring veteran Thai producer Visute Poolvoralaks, featuring rarely screened titles from Tai Entertainment, one of three companies that formed the influential Thai studio GMM Tai Hub in 2004.
The festival’s film market, Talad Nang, is scheduled to run September 22 to 24, giving international buyers and distributors a chance to view Thai productions still seeking wider release. Full listings and screening times are posted at bkkiff.co, with most screenings free to attend.
