Vanessa McMahon

'Thai Night'

On Friday, May 18th, 2012, her Royal Highness Princess Ubolratana Rajakanya Sirivadhana Barnavadi spoke to press and invited guests at the prestigious ‘Thai Night’ event during the 65th Cannes Film Festival. The event took place at the Grand Salon of the Intercontinental Carlton and was held to honor and promote filmmaking in Thailand. New Thai Cinema has recently put itself on the map with a burgeoning of national Thai cinema which became most famous with the 2010 Palme d’Or winning film, UNCLE BOONMEE WHO CAN RECALL HIS PAST LIVES (2010).

Following speeches by Princess Ubolratana and the Thai Ministry of Commerce press, filmmakers and other industry professionals then enjoyed Thai Singha beer along with authentic Thai food during which time they met and comingled with Thai filmmaking talents.

Thai Night was hosted by the Department of International Trade Promotion and Ministry of Commerce

photos by Vanessa Mc Mahon 

 Princess Ubolratana Rajakanya Sirivadhana Barnavadi

Thai films screened at the 65th Cannes Film Festival were:

1) MEKONG HOTEL (2012) by the 2010 Palme d’Or winner Apichatpong Weerasethakul. The film screened during the festival as ‘Official Selection’.

MEKONG HOTEL (2012)

Other Thai films present at Cannes this year were screened in the Cannes market place:

1) FRIDAY KILLER (2012)

2) SHE (2012)

3) SPIRIT WARS (2012)

4) ECHO PLANET (2012)

5) DARK FLIGHT (2012)

6) YAAK (2012)

-Written by Vanessa Mc Mahon

Thai director Apichatpong Weerasethakul winning the Palme d'Or at 63rd Cannes Film Festival