Hua Hin Film Fetival

[Balls]

As the Thaivisa.com/ Hua Hin web thread has not yet mentioned the “Inaugural Hua Hin Film Festival”. I did as much research on it as a film buff could. The results were not at all impressive.

Generally most of my information comes from a free, local (Hua Hin) weekly publication called AWOL (<a href="http://www.awolonline.net/">www.awolonline.net) [issue 164]. Their information (IMHO) was obviously fed up to them in pieces. I read it three times and got very little out of it. I do enjoy AWOL.

AWOL promised to “follow-up”, but how could they do this without any reliable source of info is beyond my comprehension. Poster-boards are up but mention nothing but dates.

Wisely, AWOL held their tongues for the next publication, Issue 165 – not a word mentioned even though the ‘festivities’ are to begin at the end of next week.

Four of the “forty” films expected to be screened were mentioned on the huahinfilmfest.com web site and all kinds of ceremonies and festivities are promised.

From AWOL: “The Opening Ceremony… Friday, 27^th January at the InterContinental… invited guests only…” (They added that you might be able to see some of the stars on the beach in the evening.) Yes, the InterContinental – the same place that put up their massive Christmas displays two weeks after Christmas.

This only goes to follow that the event actually kicks-off a day earlier (the 26^th) at Centennial Park. “...a large screen showing festival highlights…” That is, highlights of the festival which has not even taken place yet? Go figure.

“The Major Cineplex is where the festival screening will take place.” (Dates not mentioned.)

“[You] As a member of the [Major Cineplex] audience, you can also help choose the films that will win festival awards”. One might take that a as privilege until you read that these are only the “Audience Awards”, and,

“With the sole exceptions of the opening and closing films, tickets for all screenings can be booked via the box office at Market Village.”

As all film festival goers know, the opening and closing films are by far and away the most predictable winners but that should not prevent ”a sleeper” from aspiring above the so-called ‘picks of the litter’.

In conclusion, I don’t even know where to send my ‘tea money’ to make a vote for my personal favorite of the four or of the other 36 unknown entries.

[BazilFox]

If you are relying on info from the "AWOL' rag, then this has fallen flat before you start, nobody reads this rag.

[losworld]

This is one of the strangest things I have seen. Normally a festival comes into existence and takes entries and publicizes itself for at least a year to gain a following and allow the best films. This festival was literally created one month or less than the festival date. There was no website until a couple weeks before. What's up with this?

[hhfarang]

It's the Thai way of doing things. They wait until the last minute to nail down details, therefore have to wait until the last minute to advertise and usually here they only advertise in Thai language (signs) and you have to pick up information the best you can from local forums like this one.