Viewers can enjoy the Thai films with English subtitles round-the-clock on the online platform Festival Scope till 22nd August, 2021.
Each of the films has 1,000 entries. Viewers can participate in the social media activities and win exciting prizes during the festival!
Two films – “Friend Zone” and “Homestay” – are back on popular demand.
The inaugural edition of this annual film festival was hosted in 2017 on the 70th anniversary of Thailand-India diplomatic relations.
New Delhi : The much-awaited three-day Namaste Thailand Online Film Festival 2021 has begun today with 10 popular Thai films, specially curated for the festival. The fourth edition of the annual Thai Film Festival, hosted by the Royal Thai Embassy in New Delhi, is held online this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The maiden digital edition is screening a selected number of Thai films with English subtitles, available round-the-clock till 22nd August on the online platform: Festival Scope . The mélange brings drama, romance, comedy, thriller, and documentaries and each film will have a limited number of 1,000 entries. Viewers can also win exciting prizes during the festival by participating in the Facebook and Instagram activities.
Namaste Thailand Film Festival made a debut in 2017 on the 70th anniversary of Thailand-India diplomatic relations. The films this year bring home folklores and modern-day tales of friendship, love, companionship, and yearning, with an aim to foster closer socio-cultural and people-to-people ties between the two countries rooted in age-old social and cultural interactions. Two films – Friend Zone and Homestay – are back on popular demand.
“We are hopeful that the festival will be as successful as the previous ones but would reach greater audience as it will be held in our first-ever digital edition. What also makes it special this year is that we have more selections of films presenting uniqueness and diversity of the Thai culture and her people and viewers can watch them without any fees or expenses anytime from anywhere in India during the 3-day festival. We also welcome them to share their thoughts and reviews on social media and participate in the online activities to take home memories of Thailand,” says H.E. Ms. Pattarat Hongtong, Ambassador of Thailand to India.
Namaste Thailand Film Festival 2021 Film Information:
1. Friend Zone (118 mins | romance/comedy | 2019)
Palm has been stuck in ‘Friend Zone’: borderlining relationship between ‘friend’ and ‘lover’, with his best female friend, Gink, for 10 years. During high school, he tried to cross the line by confessing his feelings for her. But Gink simply rejected him, saying that “being friends is good enough.” Since then, Palm and Gink have grown closer as true best friends. Every time
Palm breaks up with his girlfriends, Gink will tell him off, talking some sense into him. And every time Gink fights with her boyfriend. All she has to do is make a call to Palm, who uses his perks as a flight attendant to catch flights to be with her. One day, Gink asks Palm out of the blue, “what if we were …?” Right then, sparks fly wildly inside Palm’s mind, knowing that this might be the only chance for him to cross the borderline.
Executive Producer(s): Jina Osothsilp, Boosaba Daorueng, Paiboon Damrongchaitham Producer(s): Jira Maligool, Vanridee Pongsittisak
Screenplay: Chayanop Boonprakob, Thodsapon Thiptinnakorn, Pattaranad Bhiboonsawad Cinematographer(s): Kittiwat Semarat
Editor(s): Panayu Kunvanlee Music: Hualampong Riddim
Cast: Naphat Siangsomboon, Pimchanok Luevisadpaibul, Jason Young, Benjamin Joseph Varney, Natthasit Kotimanaswanich
Release Date: February 14, 2019
**This movie was featured in the latest NTFF (in 2019) and the seats were 100% full**
2. Homestay (136 mins | drama/fantasy/thriller | 2018)
“You were granted a prize.” A mysterious man who calls himself, the Guardian, (Nopachai Jayanama) told me as we were standing on the outer wall of the hospital building that was turned sideways as if we were defying gravity.
Before I could take in what happened, the Guardian grabbed me by my collar, forcing me to listen to him explain about the prize that a stray soul like me was given. I was sent to live again in the body of a high school teenager named Min (Teeradon Supapunpinyo) who was lying dead in the morgue in this hospital. In fact, living in a new body is no different to living in a homestay. It’s temporary and not for free. Within 100 days, I have to find out “who is responsible for Min’s death”. If I fail, I will die and leave this homestay for eternity.
Actually, I didn’t think I would enjoy living in this homestay this much. Having a new family and new friends doesn’t make my heart beat as fast as when I met Pi (Cherprang Areekul), Min’s tutoring peer. She is the one who makes me want to extend my stay in this body forever. But, just like time, life and love seem like prizes from heaven that are given to me only temporarily, I have to do whatever it takes to find the answer to the Guardian’s question before my time in this homestay runs out.
Director: Parkpoom Wongpoom
Release date : 25 October 2018
3. Nha Harn ( 120 mins | Romance / Comedy | 2019)
Yupin and her company love to hang around the Isan traditional dance floor rather than in classroom. She met and fell for Singto at the amulet stand in front of the temple. Their relationship blossomed but then Singto suddenly left her. Yupin still hurt when she met Sawan, a Kaan player from the school. He is good-looking, clever and good at dancing. But one day Yupin escapes Sawan to dance at a distant dance floor. She meets Singto there and they have to reconcile their past relationship.
Executive Producer(s): Komkrit Pipatpanukul
Producer(s): Jinna Kongma, Patchara Eaimtrakul, Nakorn Phopairoj, Ekkapop Paiaree, Ekvit Chairathborriboon
Screenplay: Chantana Tiprachart, Nakorn Phopairoj
Cinematographer(s): Pasit Tandaechanurat
Editor(s): Ittiwat Poobandit Music: Ardsanai Ardsakul
Cast: Sudarat Phoumphon, Naruebet Rithsorn, Boonyarit Wiangnon, Tatsanasak Thanomsit, Jagkapat Pusrinual
Release Date: May 9, 2019
4. Present Still Perfect (118 mins | Romance / Drama | 2020)
Sequel to its first chapter when Toey fell in love with Oat, the cool guy who was about to get married, four years later, Toey accidentally met Oat at the airport. All the pains came back to him once again. As a result, he decided to go rest his heart at “Koh Kood”, Trat where he met Jane the owner of the guest house who found out that her husband cheated on her, and Kenta, a Japanese traveler who stayed at the same place. Peaceful and the beauty of the island brought back his laughter and joy, but all the questions were stuck in his mind like a timebomb waiting to explode. That night, he received messages from Oat, claiming how much he missed Toey. The next morning, Oat showed up to Toey at Koh Kood. The strong desire hit them once again. Toey has to decide whether to follow his heart by letting Oat inside or accept the truth and let him go since they knew that this journey will just end up with saying “Goodbye”.
Producer(s): Nuttachai Jiraanont, Settha Veerathunmanon, Udom Piboonlapudom Screenplay: Anusorn Soisa-Ngim
Cinematographer(s): Nattavuth Sukchuen, Krischai Thittibunyara
Editor(s): Anusorn Soisa-ngim, Sinlapa Khemsom, Thanat Sakphensri
Music: Hirotaka Tako
Cast: Adisorn Tonawanik, Kritsana Maroukasonti, Ryota Omi Release Date: March 12, 2020
5. The Exchange (90 mins | Action / Drama | 2019)
Joe and May are a loving couple. Because Joe has a brain tumor and needs 1 million baht for the operation, they decide to rob a money exchange store. Unluckily, the couple with 10 unfortunate patrons of the money exchange center are held hostages by 3 professional robbers on the same day. It is a robbery inside another robbery as well as some secrets among these people will be revealed. What could possibly happen when these people are trapped in the store with no way to escape?
Executive Producer(s): Pete Bodharamik, Soraj Asavaprapha, Navamin Prasopnet, Sang Do Lee, Patompong Sirachairat
Producer(s): Aniwat Kornkumhang
Screenplay: PIG DOG RABBIT, Kimhant Kanjanasomjai, Jenicha Pitaksanonkul Cinematographer(s): Manoon Chaivech, Thanachart Bunlah
Editor(s): Saravut Nakajud
Music: Vanilla Sky
Cast: Arak Amornsupasiri, Chicha Amatayakul, Patcharaphol Juntieng, Saranyoo Prachakit Release Date: October 31, 2019
6. Where We Belong ( 130 mins Drama, 2019)
Sue is helping her father running an old pork noodle soup restaurant in a sleepy town. In spite of her inexperience of air travel or abroad, she secretly has been preparing for a scholarship program to study in Finland. Although she doesn’t have a significant life goal, she believes studying abroad might enlighten her to find a dream. With her friends, she is spending her last week in the hometown filling the checklist in, exchanging money and packing her luggage up. Her father eventually finds out her plan and gets worried about her future. On a journey that she might never return, she reflects he relationship with friends, love, and family, sometimes with arguments or reconciling and embracement to build herself up as the protagonist of her own life.
Executive Producer(s): Jirath Pavaravadhana, Yasushi Akimoto, Nariaki Terada, Nataphol Pavaravadhana
Producer(s): Soros Sukhum, Chalit Bunnag
Screenplay: Kongdej Jaturanrasmee
Cinematographer(s): Umpornpol Yugala
Editor(s): Lee Chatametikool, Harin Paesongthai
Music: Thanachai Ujjin
Cast: Jennis Oprasert, Praewa Suthamphong, Kajohnsak Rattana nisai, Kornpassorn Ratanameathanont, Saheoiyn Aophachat
Release Date: June 20, 2019
7. Nakorn – Sawan (77 mins , Drama, 2019)
After being away from home for 5 years, Aoey comes back to Nakorn Sawan, her hometown, for just one week—the week of a funeral. The recent death of a beloved effects the living ones. Pak Nam Po is believed to be the path to send her mother’s cremains to the after life—the heaven, they say. That morning, boarding the same boat that sails along the river are her family, her father, her old friend, herself, and even her past. Until the end of the day, fliction and documentary drifts along the river endlessly
Producer(s): Anocha Suwichakornpong, Parinee Buthrasri, Puangsoi Aksornsawang Screenplay: Puangsoi Aksornsawang
Cinematographer(s): Boonyanuch Kraithong
Editor(s): Lee Chatametikool Music: Jitivi Banthaisong
Cast: Prapamonton Eiamchan, Phumipat Thavornsiri, Jarunun Phantachat, Yuwabun Thungsuwan, Pisit Chaithawat
Release Date: May 23, 2019
8. Krabi, 2562 (Documentary / Experimental, 93 mins, 2020)
In the town of Krabi, a popular tourist destination in southern Thai land, the pre-historic, the recent past and the contemporary capitalist world awkwardly collide. The town’s local folklore and histories are promoted as attractions to foreigners, while the town’s traditional labour force is muted and hidden from the tourists’ eyes. A nameless character, whose identity continually changes, takes us around town to explore various sites that capture Krabi in its current state. These sites uniquely illustrate how Krabi’s folklore is propagated and commodified to fill the need of tourism industry.
Executive Producer(s): Xie Meng, Andy Starke, Wan Sophonpanich
Producer(s): Maenum Chagasik
Cinematographer(s): Ming-Kai Leung, Ben Rivers
Editor(s): Aacharee Ungsriwong
Music: Chalermrat Kaweewattana
Cast: Siraphun Wattanajinda, Arak Amornsupasiri, Primrin Puarat, Nuttawat Attasawat, Atchara Suwan
Release Date: March 5, 2020
9. BNK48 One Take ( Documentary, 85 mins, 2020)
A documentary on a girl-group BNK48, the biggest girl-group in the world during 2018- 2019 and its competitive selection system. The director sets-up a performance class for all the members and they have to fight for the very first General Election in Thailand. The winner of the General Election will be honored with the center position of the group, which means more exposure and more opportunities for future fame. They have to fight with themselves, with their peers, with their friendship, while the circumstances in the classes reveal their personality, emotions and their inner-self. This election will change their live as a pop-idol forever.
Executive Producer(s): Nariaki Terada, Jirath Pavaravadhana
Producer(s): Manatsanun Phanlerdwongsaku, Pornmanus Rattanavich
Cinematographer(s): Niramon Ross
Editor(s): Asamaporn Samakphan
Music: PMP
Cast: BNK48
Release Date: 2020
10. Manta Ray (Drama, 105 mins, 2019)
Near a coastal village of Thailand, by the sea where thousands of Rohingya refugees have drowned, a local fisherman finds an injured man lying unconscious in the forest. He rescues the stranger, who does not speak a word, offers him his friendship and names him Thongchai. But when the fisherman suddenly disappears at the sea, Thongchai slowly begins to take over his friend’s life—his house, his job and his ex-wife…
Executive Producer(s): Weidong Yang, Kailou Liu
Producer(s): Mai Meksawan, Jakrawal Nilthamrong, Chatchai Chaiyon, Philippe Avril Screenplay: Phuttiphong Aroonpheng
Cinematographer(s): Nawarophaat Rungphiboonsophit
Editor(s): Lee Chatametikool, Harin Paesongthai
Music: Mathieu Gabry, Christine Ott
Cast: Wanlop Rungkumjad, Aphisit Hama, Rasmee Wayrana, Sanit Pasingchop, Kamjorn Sankwan