Tokyo International Film Festival 2010: Hi-So, Iron Pussy, Headshot and Ekachai

The Bangkok Post's Kong Rithdee has a report today on the recent Tokyo International Film Festival, where Aditya Assarat's High Society was in the Winds of Asia-Middle East Competition.

Hi-So, an autobiographical tale by the director, with Ananda Everingham as his cipher, had premiered at the Pusan International Film Festival. I've heard Hi-So's Thai premiere was intended for the Bangkok International Film Festival, but now who knows when that's going to happen?

I know, we'll get to see it eventually.

Meanwhile, two of Aditya's Pop Pictures producing projects, Sivaroj Kongsakul's Eternity (ที่รัก, Tee Rak) and Tanwarin Sukhapisit's Insects in the Backyard, are taking part in the World Film Festival of Bangkok, starting tonight.

Also in Tokyo from Pusan was Camellia, the pan-Asian romance omnibus that includes Wisit Sasanatieng's and Michael Shaowansai's Iron Pussy: A Kimchi Affair. And who knows when we'll get to see that in Bangkok?

Tokyo's Winds of Asia-Middle East Prize went to Passerby #3 by Shin Su-won, with a special mention for The Tiger Factory, by Woo Ming Jin from Malaysia.

Pen-ek Ratanaruang and Ekachai Uekrongtham took part in the Tokyo festival's Tokyo Project Gathering, where Japanese director Ishii Yuya got the crown.

Pen-ek was vying for funds for Headshot (Fon Tok Kuen Fah, ฝนตกขึ้นฟ้า, literally "rain falling upward"), the film-noir thriller adapted from Win Lyovarin's novel. Production, with "Peter" Noppachai Jayanama Cris Horwang in the leads, is already under way, with hopes for a premiere sometime, somewhere in May of next year. Hmmm ... You can join a Facebook group to keep Headshot firmly in your sights.

Beautiful Boxer director Ekachai it turns out was promoting several projects at the TPG. Something called Dessert Queen had earlier been mentioned, but from the sound of Kong's article today, it looks like his boyhood adventure drama Enemies is his prime focus.