Thai Films Start with Comedy, End with Horror

The Canadian Film Institute (CFI), in collaboration with the Royal Thai Embassy, is presenting a series of contemporary Thai films. Entitled With or Without a Soul?: Thai Film Series, the presentation encompasses ?ve ?lms, from September 7 to 14, 2013, in Ottawa, and is offered free for the general public.

The opening night gala, to be held Saturday, September 7 at 6:30pm, will begin with a performance by the Thai Dance Troupe of Ottawa, followed by the screening of TANG WONG, a 2013 dramatic comedy directed by Kongdej Jaturanrasamee. TANG WONG, selected for the 2013 Berlin Film Festival, follows the lives of four teens at odds with their cultural history, who are desperate for some good luck in their lives. The evening will conclude with a reception.

The series continues the following Thursday, September 12, with a presentation of two popular romantic comedies from Thailand: BEST OF TIMES (2009) at 7:00pm and BANGKOK TRAFFIC (LOVE) STORY (2009) at 9:15pm.

The ?nal night of the series (Saturday, September 14) will highlight a cinematic genre for which Thailand is world-renowned: horror. Back-to-back screenings of the acclaimed “Phobia” series, 4BIA (2008) and PHOBIA 2 (2009) — each ?lm a collection of frightening ghost stories — will start at 7:00pm and 9:15pm respectively. The evening will be introduced with a special “ghost” themed performance by the Thai Dance Troupe of Ottawa.

“We are very pleased to be working with the Royal Thai Embassy in organizing this ?lm series,” says CFI Executive Director Tom McSorley. “Thailand?s cinema has increasingly been making waves on the international festival circuit, and to be able to bring these ?lms to Ottawa audiences is very exciting for us.”

All events in the series are free to the public, and take place in the Auditorium of 395 Wellington St. (the Library and Archives building). Film synopses, links, and trailers can be found on the CFI website at www.c?-icf.ca.

For more information, press materials, photos or ?lm screeners, contact CFI Executive Director Tom McSorley (mcsorley@c?-icf.ca) or Programmer Jerrett Zaroski (zaroski@c?- icf.ca) at 613-232-8769.