Sunday, February 14, 2010

EFM 2010: Ong-Bak 3 and Fireball Begins bring on the Thai action

Though Asian films are in the spotlight this year, the Berlinale has been quiet for Thai films. It's the accompanying European Film Market where the Thai action is.

Sahamongkol Film International is there with a big crew headed up by executive vice president Gilbert Lim. They are hawking Ong-Bak 3.

The Hollywood Reporter quotes him in their EFM Asian roundup:

Gilbert [L]im of Sahamongkol Film International, which is selling Ong Bak 3 here, confirmed that, despite the EFM's European label, Berlin's market for Asian cinema is booming.

"Each year has just been getting better for us," he said, without divulging sales figures.

I would hope that Sahamongkol is also pushing its upcoming thriller Who Are You?, with Sinjai Plengpanich.

Sahamongkol, also a big distributor of foreign films in Thailand, is there looking to buy as well.

Todd Brown of TwitchFilm.net makes the pilgrimage to EFM, and Twitch has full coverage. Todd's searching for spiritual enlightenment from the likes of Fireball director Thanakorn Pongsuwan, who has a show reel for Fireball Begins. No footage yet, just words:

He has cut together a promo reel for display to potential buyers. A mix of temp footage and more polished work that will likely be included in the final film, the reel showcases several new environments - the new fight arena is fantastic - improved camera work, and an evolution of the sport as it developed on US military bases in Thailand during the Vietnam War, moving from the traditional Thai sport of sepak takraw into the form it occupied in the first film.

Sounds good! If the camera holds steady and backs up just a little bit during the action scenes, I'll be ready for Fireball Begins.

Also braving the frigid temperatures of Berlin to participate in the European Film Market are Mei Meksuwan and Pimpaka Towira of Extra Virgin, producers of Uruphong Raksasad's Agrarian Utopia and Jakrawal Nilthamrong's Unreal Forest, which recently premiered in Rotterdam.

Thai distributor J-Bics is on the participants list as well.

(Via Wildgrounds, Twitch)

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