Luang Prabang Film Festival Gives up Name in Order to Go Ahead With 2022 Edition
The annual film event in Laos that was for the past 12 years known as the Luang Prabang Film Festival has given up its name in order to go ahead with next month’s edition.
“Organizers have recently acquiesced to a name change in order to continue to produce this year’s event, scheduled for Dec. 8- 11, and will move forward using only the iconic blue chair to identify the festival,” they said in a statement that also unveiled the festival’s film selection.
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Contacted by Variety, organizers had no additional comment beyond their published statement.
The festival has been operated on a non-profit basis with the backing of private sector and local government sponsors in the UNESCO Heritage town of Luang Prabang. It has supported the Laos local film industry, operated talent development workshops and provided free-of-charge screenings of recent Southeast Asian films to the Laos public.
The 2022 selection includes two completed films that were at project stage when presented at the inaugural LPFF Talent Lab: Martika Ramirez Escobar’s “Leonor Will Never Die,” and Kavich Neang’s “White Building.”
Two new productions from Laos will premiere at the festival this year — Sonepasith Phanphila’s “Absence of Sound,” made in Luang Prabang itself, and short film, “Fly Sandy Fly,” by Phanumad Disattha, which will screen during the festival’s opening ceremony.
2022 Lineup at the event previously known as the Luang Prabang Film Festival
“Absence of Sound” (Laos, 2022) dir. Sonepasith Phanphila.
“Barbarian Invasion” (Malaysia, 2021) dir. Tan Chui Mui.
“Bears About the House” (Laos, 2020) dir. Tom Jarvis.
“Come Here” (Thailand, 2021) dir. Anocha Suwichakornpong.
“Face of the Mekong” (Cambodia, 2022) dir. Oxfam in Cambodia.
“Fast & Feel Love” (Thailand, 2022) dir. Nawapol Thamrongrattanarit.
“Mekong 2030” (Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam, 2020) dir. Various.
“Goodbye Mister Wong” (Laos, 2020) dir. Kiyé Simon Luang.
“Hail, Driver” (Malaysia, 2020) dir. Muzzamer Rahman.
“Karma Link” (Cambodia, 2021) dir. Jake Wachtel.
“Leio” (Thailand, 2022) dir. Chalit Krileadmongkon.
“Leonor Will Never Die” (Philippines, 2022) dir. Martika Ramirez Escobar.
“Love Destiny the Movie” (Thailand, 2022) dir. Adisorn Tresirikasem.
“Memory Land” (Vietnam, 2021) dir. Quy Bui Kim.
“Money Has Four Legs” (Myanmar, 2020) dir. Maung Sun.
“Scala” (Thailand, 2022) dir. Ananta Thitanat.
“Scene UnSeen” (Singapore, 2021) dir. Abdul Nizam.
“Shadow” (Laos, 2021) dir. Soulasath Souvannavong.
“The Con-Heartist” (Thailand, 2020) dir. Mez Tharatorn.
“The Last Voice” (Laos, 2018) dir. Jojo Miracle.
“Whether the Weather is Fine” (Philippines, 2021) dir. Carlo Francisco Manatad.
“White Building” (Cambodia, 2021) dir. Kavich Neang.
“Worship” (Thailand, 2021) dir. Uruphong Raksasad.
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