In the digital age, Film still wins

“ENDLESS, NAMELESS”, a highly experimental film that was actually shot on film, won the top-prize RD Pestonji Award for general Thai filmmakers at the 18th Thai Short Film and Video Festival on Sunday.
Directed by Pathompon Tesprateep and shot on Super 8 footage that was then processed by hand – a rarity in the digital era – the flickering images depicted soldiers gathered in a high-ranking officer’s backyard. They are pitted against various objects, inanimate and otherwise, including a hissing cobra, which sways back and forth.
The pick of “Endless, Nameless” came as the Thai Short Film and Video Festival paid tribute to the Thai Film Archive’s 30th anniversary, with Archive EX, a special programme of Thai experimental films from pre-digital age. Among them was Surapong Pinijkar’s 1982 documentary “Sampeng” (“Chinatown Montage”), and “Restless”, footage of a New York City ferry journey in 1993 by Sasitorn Ariyavicha.
The triumph of the 8mm experimental film comes as one of the festival’s long-running awards, the Kodak Filmschool Award, for student films made with Kodak stock, is no more. Aside from “Endless, Nameless”, no other competition entries were made on film – all were digital productions, according to festival officials.
Two production service companies, VS Service and Cinetoys, stepped in this year with two new special awards, both honouring movies about movie-making. The Cinetoys’ prize went to “Rest in Peace”, a Digital Forum entry by Nonthakorn Patphol. The lengthy Thai title refers to the action-movie hero dying in the end. Meanwhile, VS Services’ gong went to “Endslate”, capturing a day on the set of an indie movie.
Other entries in the RD Pestonji competition, named for Thailand’s pioneering auteur of the 1950s, included the runner-up “Endlessly” by Sivaroj Kongsakul, a sentimental portrait of a grandmother and her grandchild. It was also among winners of the Vichamatra Award for distinctive achievements in filmmaking.
Another Pestonji entry, “Isan Mars”, about a project to send workers from Thailand’s rural Northeast to Mars, was among the winners of the BACC Award, instituted last year by the Bangkok Art and Culture Centre, which hosts the festival.
Also from the Pestonji line-up was “The Way of Life”, Tah Kwa’s look at the forced ouster of indigenous people from their traditional homes in the upland forests to the lowlands. It won a special mention in the Pestonji category and the Pirabkhao (White Dove) Award from the 14 October 73 Memorial Foundation for films highlighting social concerns.
In the International Competition, the top prize went to “Cabezon” (“Big Head”), a Chilean comedy in which a painter is tasked with making a portrait of a client’s pet dog – an old, stubborn, lazy mastiff. The painter eventually bonds with his massive furry subject, plying the epically drooling canine with sliced ham.
The White Elephant Award top prize for student films went to the coming-of-age friendship drama “Menstrual Synchrony” by Jirassaya Wongsuthin, which also shared the Popular Vote award with “The Second Friendship Book” by Pakchayos Charanchol, which competed in the Special White Elephant category for filmmakers under 18.
In animation, the Payut Ngaokrachang Award went to “Neither Lit Nor Dark” by Chanon Treenate. The prize is named after Thailand’s pioneering animator. Among the runners-up was “I Can Fly” by perennial award-winner Twatpong Tangsajapoj, who also won a Vichamatra Award. A special mention went to “The Bird and the Fish” by Kanitrin Thailamthong, in which a lifelike cartoon pigeon witnesses a fish falling from the sky. It also won a BACC Award.
Here is the list of winners:
l BACC Award: “The Bird and the Fish” by Kanitrin Thailamthong and “Isan Mars” by P Sangsorn
l Special Award from Cinetoys and Services Co Ltd: “Rest in Peace” by Nonthakorn Patphol
l Special Award from VS Service Company Limited: “Endslate” by Chinnavorn Nongyoa
l Pirabkhao Award: “The Way of Life” by Tah Kwa
l Duke Award (documentaries): special mention – “Khon Tie Tor” by Kittipat Kanoknak and “Dad” by Tipwan Narintorn; runner-up – “Once in a Year” by Teerapan Ngaojeeranan and Lice in the Wonderland by Boonyarit Wiengnon; grand prize – “Rao Choana Yoo Kub Kwai” by Wachara Kunha
l RD Pestonji Award International Competition: special mention – “Mama” by Lidia Sheinin, Russia; best international short – “Cabezon” (“Big Head”) by Jairo Boisier, Chile
l RD Pestonji Award (for general Thai filmmakers): special mention – “The Way of Life” by Tah Kwa, “Auntie Maam Has Never Had a Passport” by Soroyos Prapapan and “Narayana’s Arrow Spaceship: Between the Orbits of Mars and Jupiter” by Paranoid Team; runner-up – “Endlessly” by Sivroj Kongsakul, “Somewhere Only We Know” by Wichanon Somumjarn and “Myth of Modernity” by Chulayarnnon Siriphol; grand prize – “Endless, Nameless” by Pathompon Tesprateep
l Payut Ngaokrachang Award (animation): special mention – “The Bird and the Fish” by Kanitrin Thailamthong; “Congratulations” by Pathompong Thititan and “Aelio” by Pongpreecha Kittiporniwat; runner-up – “I Can Fly” by Twatpong Tangsajapoj and “The Blanket” by Pasraporn Tampanon; grand prize – “Neither Lit nor Dark” by Chanon Treenate
l Special White Elephant (students under 18): special mention – “Past Perfect” by Wethaka Jarampornsakul and Sirya Lertsmithwong and “The Second Friendship Book” by Pakchayos Charanchol’ grand prize – “The Misplaced Flower” by Zo Chamuleur
l White Elephant (student films): special mention – “Duct Move Past” by Nichapa Trongsiri , “Hula Hoop” by Reawadee Ngamloon, “Khmer Talisman” by Pissamai Duangnoi and “/’Spel,baund” by Nat Eiamkhunthongsuk; runner-up – “329” by Tinnawat Chankloi and “Gandharva” by Theerapat Ngathong; grand prize – “Menstrual Synchrony” by Jirassaya Wongsuthin
l Best Actor: Ornanong Thaisriwong from “Anna”
l Vichitmatra Award: “Scent of the Morning Sun” by Monkham Khukhuntin and Harin Paesongthai; “Goodbye” by Nakorn Chaisri; “I Can Fly” by Twatpong Tangsajapoj; “Endlessly” by Sivaroj Kongsakul
l Popular Vote: “Menstrual Synchrony” by Jirassaya Wongsuthin and “The Second Friendship Book” by Pakchayos Charanchol
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