2nd World Film Festival of Bangkok

It's film festival time again in Bangkok, a city that boasts at least three festivals that are vying to be THE major festival for Thailand. The 2nd World Film Festival, sponsored by The Nation newspaper, has put together a pretty decent lineup of Contemporary Asian, Latin American, Israeli, Documentaries, a Jacques Tati retrospective and World Cinema.

The main theme this year is Kings of Comedy, under which they are showing Brazil, Chaplin's Modern Times and The Great Dictator and a Thai film, which has been unearthed from the national film archives.

The film is called Ai Tui, or Mr. Tui. It's from 1971 and was directed by Dokdin Kanyamarn.

The cast list includes the great Sombat Methanee (Fa from Tears of the Black Tiger), ubiquitous leading lady Petchara Chaowarat, plus Dokdin, Prajaub Rruekyamdee, Ponglada Pimolpan, Chadaporn Wacharapranee, Chumporn Tappitak, Malarin Boonnak, Chinnakorn Kaira and Jimmy Lin Chong.

The festival website offers this synopsis:

A girl named Priew is surprised to receive the inheritance of her mother’s former lover. Part of her new found wealth is land in a farming village, which she kindly allows the inhabitants of to farm for free without charging them rent. However, during a welcoming party to pay thanks to her, a gangster attempts to kidnap Priew. The villagers rush to her defense, and Tui, the son of the district chief, takes action to ensure her security during her three days in the village. When Priew returns to Bangkok, she finds even more serious problems – the sister of her mother’s ex-lover has just been released from prison, and wants her share of her late brother’s wealth.

According to one of the organizers, Ai Tui isn't one of Dokdin's best. But from the archives, it's one that was in the best condition. That's a shame!

Something interesting about Thai films of this era is that they were sent to Hong Kong for processing. The processor usually made a copy and sent another copy back to Thailand. But apparently nobody bothered to pick up the copies from HK. Piecing these films back together could be a bit of fun detective work.

I really wish some serious value would be placed on these films of the late '60s and early '70s -- and earlier if possible!

The films should be restored, screened and marketed on DVD for posterity. It wouldn't make any money, which is probably why it isn't being done. But in terms of cultural value, they are priceless. Now there's a job for the Culture Ministry!

Ai Tui will be shown with English subtitles at 7pm on Tuesday, October 19 at EGV Metropolis.

I went ahead and booked tickets at the theater over the weekend. The entire back half of the auditorium is blocked out in anticipation of a big VIP crowd. I'm hoping I'll be able to trade the tickets in for better seating closer to showtime once the organizers determine the bigwigs aren't going to show up.

There will be a Q&A session with Dokdin before the screening.

Here's more about Dokdin, from the festival website (Source: National Archives of Thailand):

Born on October 25, 1924 in Bangkok, Dokdin Kanyaman’s first experience with performing publicly was singing traditional songs at funerals when he was nine years old. Through his teens he acted in many folktale plays in several provinces. At age 19 he stopped acting due to the declining popularity of traditional shows, and moved to work in Yala province for several years. Later on he was asked by some actress friends to join their touring company theatre, for which he mostly acted in comic roles. At the beginning of World War II, he acted in many musical plays at His Royal Highness Amornsamarnrak Kitiyakorn’s Pattanakarn Theatre and toured both in Bangkok and other provinces. Occasionally, he wrote screenplays for the theatre.
Dokdin has been involved with hundreds of movies and plays. As an young actor in Prince Banupan Yukol’s Asawin Play Theatre company, Dokdin met his wife, actress Banchong Chomklin.

Dokdin started his directing career by making 16-mm black-and-white films with friends. While the films were not successful commercially, they inspired Dokdin’s creative talents. The first colour film he produced and directed was Dao Klee and the second was Pan Noi. In 1964, his reputation as a major filmmaker was cemented by his fourth movie, Nok Noi, which was inspired by West Side Story (1961). Moreover, His Majesty the King allowed his song "Chatacheewit" (Fate) to be the film’s soundtrack. Nok Noi won three Academy Awards.

Dokdin and Banchong Kayamarn produced more than 30 great films. Their last film together was Sao Dad Diew in 1982. In 2001, the Film Critics Assembly gave a Lifetime Achievement Award to Dokdin Kanyamarn. Nowadays, Dokdin still enjoys travelling abroad to support Thai films, even though he has stopped directing and producing films.

Filmography: Sam Gloa That Nang (1952), Sam Gloa Jer Jan Pee (1953), Jhao Sao Chao Rai (1954), Sia Raeng Rak (1955), Dao Klee (1959), Pan Noi (1963), Fon Rek (1963), Nok Noi (1964), Lom Huan (1966), Nok Eiak (1966), Saeng Tien (1966), Pinrak (1967), Mod Daeng (1967), Pu Ja (1967), Chulatrikun (1968), Kob Ten (1968), Dok Or (1968), Nam Oy (1968), Thai Noi (1969), Lom Neun (1969), Rua Manut (1970), Thai Yai (1970), Mah Mued (1970), Mr. Tui (1971), Kai Na (1972), Chieng Tung (1972), Sai Fon (1973), Khon Kin Mia (1974), Mam Ja (1975), Kung Nang (1975), Mue Peun Por Look Orn (1976), Singh Sam Oy (1977), Ai Ped Niew (1978), Kamoy Teerak (1978), Mae Dok Kancha (1979), Yor Yodyung (1980), Nok Noi (Reproduction; 1981), Heng 200 Pee (1982), Sao Dad Diew (1983)

(Cross-published at Rotten Tomatoes)