Jarunee Suksawat makes her return to the big screen in Nonzee Nimibute's "Queen of Langkasuka".

With a smaller budget and neworganisers, the Bangkok International Film Festival will do more with less

The Bangkok International Film Festival gets a new look this year, with Thailand's filmmakers taking over the organisation of the event and the Tourism Authority of Thailand assuming a supporting role, supplying a budget of Bt25 million rather than the Bt80 million pumped into previous affairs.

Led by the Federation of National Film Associations of Thailand (FNFAT) and the Thai Film Directors Association, this year's event will have a strong Asian flavour, with some 100 features and shorts being screened at SF World Cinema at Central World from September 23 to 30.

"We are the post production hub for films around the world, so it makes sense to make the festival a centre for Asian film," says Yongyooth Thongkongtoon of the Thai Film Directors Association, who is the artistic director of the festival.

"And every film will have Thai subtitles," adds Yongyooth, who along with programming director Pimpaka Towira has decided to focus on Southeast Asian movies rather than aim for a more ambitious menu of world films.

Hopeful programming

Part of their reasoning has to do with timing. With the Pusan Internatioanl Film Festival starting just two days after the Bangkok event closes, most new films have already been scheduled to premiere at the bigger festival in South Korea.

Movies likely to make it to Bangkok include the Coen brothers' "Burn After Reading" with Brad Pitt and George Clooney, plus this year's Berlin Golden Bear winner, "The Elite Squad". The controversial Filipino film "Serbis" is under consideration.

Censorship could be a problem as the new film law comes into action next month and movies shown at festivals will no longer be exempt.

The organisers will choose 12 Thai films to showcase the industry, and is hoping to open the festival with "Puen Yai Jom Salad" ("Queens of Langkasuka"), which has been selected for screening at the Venice International Film Festival later this month.

Special screenings will probably include the remastered classic "Ruen Pae".

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>> The Bangkok International Film Festival runs from September 23 to 30 at SF Cinema Central World Plaza.

>> The poster for the festival is designed by director Wisit Sasanatieng.

>> For more information, check out www.BangkokFilm.org.