Amid the trend in entertainment industry, Thai movies are considered the soft power, the growth of which is leaping. Besides incorporating Thai cultures, traditions and lifestyles in the contents, the movies also help provoke Thai economy. The International Trade Promotion Department, Ministry of Commerce, just revealed the results of the trading negotiation of Thailand at the Marché du Film, the 76th Cannes Film Festival in France. Ten Thai entrepreneurs have been selected to join the event. There were 271 appointments made with investors, producers and movie buyers from abroad, which would lead to a total value of 1,986 million baht.
It is certain that in the age that everyone can access the media, it is not easy for Thai film industry to be accepted internationally. But that is not beyond the competency of Thai people. There is the young people group that is keen on and loves the film production art. The “Mix Media” club is among the young generation with passions to produce a film that is known worldwide. The club, a group of the communication arts students of the International College, Khon Kaen University, has produced a short film: “TOO FAR TOO CLOSE”. The film is nominated, among 231 short films all over the world, to the competition in the “Fiction” category at the “CCCL Film Festival 2023: The World’s Ill, so We Must Change” by the Alliance Francaise Bangkok.
Miss Sutthirak Singcharee, a 2nd year student of the communication art program, majoring in creative media technology, International College, Khon Kaen University, explained that the short film, TOO FAR TOO CLOSE was produced with the inspiration from the movie: Interstellar (2014). It is about the true situation of the world environment where people live their own lives, and generally are not interested in anything. However, the outside environment is very bad. The film alternately shows the events with overlapping dimensions that make the film interesting.
The selection enabled the students of the “Mix Media” Club to have a chance to learn about movie production from Hollywood directors and senior directors in the movie circle like “It-Patipan Butarik, whose movie, Solid by the Seashore won 2 prizes from the 28th Pusan International Film Festival.
“During the Covid pandemic, we had fewer practical classes, so we thought we should do something to learn more. That was under the concept of “finding a chance for a better chance”. So I made decision with 9 friends in the group to produce a short film. We didn’t think that we would be selected to enter the completion in the Fiction category at the CCCL Film Festival 2023.”
“We have proved that we can reach that level, the same level where very smart people are. It came unexpectedly to be able to learn and share with them. It is memorable experience for us, when P’ It said that the new generation is the power in creating new forms of media, for the progress of the movie circle. It was very encouraging for us.”
Sutthirak went on to say that at present the values of the students studying in the field of film making usually look at the matters of health, welfare, remuneration and respect towards those media makers behind the scene. This is contrastive to the standard in this industry where we have to use a lot of energy. In addition, there is the constraint in terms of investors and the balance of content that are usually the obstacles. With the chance to learn and share with people at the event, she found that all have the same idea to reform this movie circle. In the future, she wants to be a film producer and wind behind the wing to prove that surviving in the circle will be worth it.
Makers of popular Thai films that integrate Isan cultures, traditions and beliefs also admit that they are worried about deficit, which is true of Thai movie industry. However, from the perseverance of the new generation of Isan youths, “The Series” now is making over 500 million baht. It is a Thai film that can make the biggest revenue in 8 years. That confirms and proves that Thai movies can be the soft power leading Thailand to the world stage.
It can be said that the young generation is the hope of Thai film industry. If all sectors, including the Government, support in negotiating about the trading and in laying the policy of the infrastructure or the welfare system that facilitates the industry, with budget allocation from the private sector, then the Thai movie industry would be developed until it reaches the international level.
Article: Jiraporn Pratomchai
