The World Film Festival of Bangkok opens with an indie|romantic drama and closes with the Rolling Stones

This year's World Film Festival of Bangkok will finally see its first child all grown up. "A Moment in June", the debut feature by Nathapon "O" Wongtrinetrakul, received its initial boost as the first project to emerge from the Produire au Sud Bangkok production-funding workshop.

Just look how it's matured - a colourfully lit drama, featuring an accomplished cast that includes Shahkrit Yamnarm, Sinitta Boonyasak, Krissada Sukosol Clapp and Suchao Pongvilai. It made its world premiere last weekend at the Pusan International Film Festival. Fittingly, it's the opener of the World Film Festival of Bangkok on October 24 at Paragon Cineplex.

"It's like our little baby," says Victor Silakong, the festival's director. "A Moment in June" went from a paper presentation in Bangkok at the first workshop in 2005 to a bigger pitch at France's Festival of Three Continents, which co-sponsors the Bangkok film fund.

While the ensemble romantic drama casts a quiet glow on the opening, the festival will go out with a bang, with "Shine a Light", Martin Scorsese's rousing documentary of the Rolling Stones. Capturing the Stones on their 2006 "Bigger Bang" tour, the film will play like a rock concert, outdoors on the Parc Paragon stage on November 1. It'll be a free show.

Tributes

Other highlights include a tribute to Indian filmmaker Shyam Benegal, who will be this year's recipient of the Lotus Award for lifetime achievement. Five of his masterpieces will screen. There's also a tribute to Brazilian filmmaker Hector Babenco, which includes a fresh print of "Kiss of the Spider Woman". And the late British filmmaker Derek Jarman is the focus of a retrospective, which will include his "Caravaggio".

World Cinema

Victor has criss-crossed the globe, bringing back to Bangkok what he says are the best films. Among the highlights are two animated features, "Sita Sings the Blues", which is adapted from the Ramayana by American artist Nina Paley, and the war drama, "Waltz With Bashir", which won high praise at this year's Cannes Film Festival and is Israel's Oscar pick. Others to catch include the German family drama "Cherry Blossoms Hanami" and Nuri Bilge Ceylan's "Three Monkeys". There's also a special focus on Latin America.

Thai indie

Aside from "A Moment in June", other Thai indie films will include the short drama "Lost and Found" by Noth Thongsriphon, and the experimental "Manus Chanyong: One Night At Talaenggaeng Road" narrated by Saranyu Wongkrajang. Santi Taepanich has a new documentary, "Me and Mine", interviewing four inspiring artists including Pen-ek Ratanaruang, Moderndog and Santi's comedian brother Nose.

Asian Contemporary

Four female Indonesian directors portray four stories in "Chants of Lotus" depicting the changes in society that affect women. This year's Un Certain Regard winner at Cannes is "Tulpan", a romance from the steppes of Kazakhstan.

Documentary

The festival is dominated by docs. Ones to note are "Return to Goree" on Senegalese singer Youssou N'Dour and "A Jihad for Love" about transsexuals in the Arab world. It was banned from the Singapore International Film Festival earlier this year. Also, there's fun to be had in "Seven Dumpsters and a Corpse".

Short Films

For short films, there are programmes from Germany, as well as an assortment from Malaysia, Singapore, Spain and the UK. From Thailand comes the "Chang Programme", the "Disability Short Film Festival & Seminar" and the festival's own short-film competition.

There's also the "Graphic Cities" showcase from the British Council, screening contemporary mixed media.