Deadline: 30 November 2010
Lifescapes :: Southeast Asian Film Festival
South East Asian Institute of Global Studies
Payap University, Chiang Mai, Thailand
3 - 7 February 2011
Deadline:
30 November 2010
PROJECT DESCRIPTION
“I always wonder why art cannot be beautiful, entertaining and serious at once. We know art is beauty. But for me, the most fascinating aspect is when art can make us see beauty in unlikely places and situations including grim reality and despair.” – Anchalee Kongrut, Bangkok Post
The Southeast Asian Film Festival entitled Lifescapes will be the first of its kind in Chiang Mai, Thailand. For the purpose of this project, the term lifescape is defined as an expanse of lives, livelihoods, and realities that can be seen in a single view . This Southeast Asian Film Festival aims to do just this: to expose the stories of the region and converge the media, education, and NGO sectors in Chiang Mai and the countries of the Mekong Sub-Region to utilize our comprehensive resources for raising awareness, inspiring dialogue, and evoking change.
Lifescapes is not strictly a documentary film festival, nor is it a commercial venue for fledgling film makers. It will screen contemporary films - documentary, docu-drama, or dramatic - and showcase thoughtful work with a social conscience. In the process of raising awareness, this project will simultaneously celebrate film industries around Southeast Asia that have produced filmmakers who insert meaningful, and necessary, social commentary into their work – successfully merging the beauty and seriousness which Ms. Kongrut mentions in her quote above.
The overarching theme of this film festival is an exploration of regional issues and human rights struggles within the five mainland Southeast Asian countries: Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, and Vietnam. The overall format of the project is to screen films with an opportunity for post-discussion. Directors and film-makers will be invited to speak and answer questions after their film, or representatives from related NGOs will offer a forum to learn more about their work in the respective country.
Lifescapes will be held from 3- 7 February 2011 and is being organized through the South East Asian Institute of Global Studies at Payap University in Chiang Mai. Opening and closing receptions, film screenings, discussion panels, and presentations will be held on the Payap University main campus. All activities will be free and open to the public as we do not want to exclude the community or instate limitations like fees, status, or criteria.
PROJECT OBJECTIVES
Objective 1
To use film and cinematic art as a medium to explore regional issues and human rights struggles within the five mainland Southeast Asian countries: Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, and Vietnam (Mekong Sub-Region).
Objective 2
To converge the media, education, and NGO sectors in the Mekong Sub-Region to engage in safe, productive dialogue with a social justice-oriented approach.
Objective 3
To celebrate Southeast Asian filmmakers who insert meaningful and necessary social commentary into their work; thus, successfully merging cinematic aesthetic and social conscience.
Objective 4
To provide an innovative program which furthers global and regional awareness of issues in Southeast Asia among both students and civil-society actors in the Mekong Sub-Region.
THEMES
Within Southeast Asia, the social concerns can be similar from country to country, overlapping in certain areas. Powerless agrarian communities, dictatorial or unsupportive governments, marginalized cultural groups, covert ethnic wars, and the widening gap between rich and poor due to globalization and the influences of capitalism, are prevalent issues in the region. Some of these topics break the international arena, while others remain concealed and taboo. Lifescapes intends to bring these issues to the fore through the medium of film, and hopefully impress upon participants that, while ignorance is bliss, knowledge is power.
In general, the themes which the project will look at include (but are not limited to):
1. Poverty and human rights;
2. Economic, social, and cultural rights;
3. Refugees, migrants, and internally displaced persons;
4. Gender and sexuality rights and equality.
OPEN CALL GENERAL INFORMATION
The organizing committee is holding an open call for films (documentaries, docu-dramas, or dramatic) to be included in the Lifescapes program. The organizing committee is currently in the process of selecting the feature films (of which one will be selected for each focus country), and would like to extend an invitation to filmmakers, organizations, foundations, and other entities who feel their work will fit in with the purpose and objectives of this project. Selected open call films will be scheduled around the designated feature films. Open call selection and scheduling will be based on themes and regions and will be announced after the selection process is complete.
As this project intends to act as a venue to thematically bridge film with non-governmental, civil-society, media, and/or human rights organizations working on regional issues, if your work is in conjunction with (or if you represent) an organization focused on the region, we encourage your submissions. If your work is not affiliated with an organization, we will still gladly accept submissions if the film’s thematic value fits with the Lifescapes objectives.
The organizing committee reserves the right to rule on cases not foreseen by these regulations. Participation in Lifescapes implies acceptance of the rules and regulations by producers and agents.
There are no entry fees and all submissions are free.
ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS
- Must have English sub-titles if the film is not in English.
- In an effort to be inclusive of Thai attendees, films with Thai sub-titles will be appreciated (but is not required)
- Must have been completed since 2005
- Film Duration: 30 minutes to 2 hours; special consideration may be granted for films just under the minimum 30 minute duration requirement
- Must focus on at least one of the five mainland Southeast Asian countries (Cambodia, Lao, Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam)
- Must fit in with the Project Objectives as stated above
- Must encompass the overarching theme of the project as stated in the Project Description above
SUBMISSION FORMATS
To be considered, the selection committee will only accept DVDs of the complete film. We cannot accept trailers for selection purposes.
The selection committee asks that all burned DVDs be tested on several players prior to submission. If the selection committee cannot pre-screen the DVD, we will unfortunately be unable to include it in the selection process. The submitted film must be the version to be screened at the festival should it be selected.
DVDs must be labeled with the following:
- Title
- Year
- Production company address, email address, and telephone number
- Director’s name, mailing address, email address, and telephone number
- Running Time (in minutes)
- Website (if applicable)
Submissions must also include the following:
- A completed and signed Submission and Agreement Form
- In a separate document, a brief synopsis of the film and region(s) of focus and a detailed description of the overall theme(s) of the film.
- If you are affiliated with a particular non-governmental, civil-society, media, or human rights organization, please provide the name of the organization, main contact person, mailing address, email address, telephone number, and website.
Submitted DVDs will not be returned and will remain property of Payap University. The organizing committee ensures that submitted work will not be distributed.
SCHEDULING
If your film has been selected and included in the program schedule, it cannot be withdrawn. Film schedules will be determined by the organizing committee and could be screened up to two times during the program. The date, time, and location of film screenings will be at the discretion of the organizing committee and will be announced closer to the festival dates.
SHIPPING ADDRESS
Please mail all submissions to:
Jessica Loh
Payap University - Mae Khao Campus
South East Asian Institute of Global Studies
Pentecost Building, Room 115
Chiang Mai 50000
Thailand
All mailed submissions must arrive to Payap University by 30 November 2010 .
NOTE: For Foreign Filmmakers sending submissions from outside of Thailand, on the customs form, please write “No Commercial Value; Cultural Purpose Only.”
For inquiries, please contact lifescapes@seaigs.org
More information here.
Lifescapes :: Southeast Asian Film Festival
South East Asian Institute of Global Studies
Payap University, Chiang Mai, Thailand
3 - 7 February 2011
Deadline:
30 November 2010
PROJECT DESCRIPTION
“I always wonder why art cannot be beautiful, entertaining and serious at once. We know art is beauty. But for me, the most fascinating aspect is when art can make us see beauty in unlikely places and situations including grim reality and despair.” – Anchalee Kongrut, Bangkok Post
The Southeast Asian Film Festival entitled Lifescapes will be the first of its kind in Chiang Mai, Thailand. For the purpose of this project, the term lifescape is defined as an expanse of lives, livelihoods, and realities that can be seen in a single view . This Southeast Asian Film Festival aims to do just this: to expose the stories of the region and converge the media, education, and NGO sectors in Chiang Mai and the countries of the Mekong Sub-Region to utilize our comprehensive resources for raising awareness, inspiring dialogue, and evoking change.
Lifescapes is not strictly a documentary film festival, nor is it a commercial venue for fledgling film makers. It will screen contemporary films - documentary, docu-drama, or dramatic - and showcase thoughtful work with a social conscience. In the process of raising awareness, this project will simultaneously celebrate film industries around Southeast Asia that have produced filmmakers who insert meaningful, and necessary, social commentary into their work – successfully merging the beauty and seriousness which Ms. Kongrut mentions in her quote above.
The overarching theme of this film festival is an exploration of regional issues and human rights struggles within the five mainland Southeast Asian countries: Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, and Vietnam. The overall format of the project is to screen films with an opportunity for post-discussion. Directors and film-makers will be invited to speak and answer questions after their film, or representatives from related NGOs will offer a forum to learn more about their work in the respective country.
Lifescapes will be held from 3- 7 February 2011 and is being organized through the South East Asian Institute of Global Studies at Payap University in Chiang Mai. Opening and closing receptions, film screenings, discussion panels, and presentations will be held on the Payap University main campus. All activities will be free and open to the public as we do not want to exclude the community or instate limitations like fees, status, or criteria.
PROJECT OBJECTIVES
Objective 1
To use film and cinematic art as a medium to explore regional issues and human rights struggles within the five mainland Southeast Asian countries: Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, and Vietnam (Mekong Sub-Region).
Objective 2
To converge the media, education, and NGO sectors in the Mekong Sub-Region to engage in safe, productive dialogue with a social justice-oriented approach.
Objective 3
To celebrate Southeast Asian filmmakers who insert meaningful and necessary social commentary into their work; thus, successfully merging cinematic aesthetic and social conscience.
Objective 4
To provide an innovative program which furthers global and regional awareness of issues in Southeast Asia among both students and civil-society actors in the Mekong Sub-Region.
THEMES
Within Southeast Asia, the social concerns can be similar from country to country, overlapping in certain areas. Powerless agrarian communities, dictatorial or unsupportive governments, marginalized cultural groups, covert ethnic wars, and the widening gap between rich and poor due to globalization and the influences of capitalism, are prevalent issues in the region. Some of these topics break the international arena, while others remain concealed and taboo. Lifescapes intends to bring these issues to the fore through the medium of film, and hopefully impress upon participants that, while ignorance is bliss, knowledge is power.
In general, the themes which the project will look at include (but are not limited to):
1. Poverty and human rights;
2. Economic, social, and cultural rights;
3. Refugees, migrants, and internally displaced persons;
4. Gender and sexuality rights and equality.
OPEN CALL GENERAL INFORMATION
The organizing committee is holding an open call for films (documentaries, docu-dramas, or dramatic) to be included in the Lifescapes program. The organizing committee is currently in the process of selecting the feature films (of which one will be selected for each focus country), and would like to extend an invitation to filmmakers, organizations, foundations, and other entities who feel their work will fit in with the purpose and objectives of this project. Selected open call films will be scheduled around the designated feature films. Open call selection and scheduling will be based on themes and regions and will be announced after the selection process is complete.
As this project intends to act as a venue to thematically bridge film with non-governmental, civil-society, media, and/or human rights organizations working on regional issues, if your work is in conjunction with (or if you represent) an organization focused on the region, we encourage your submissions. If your work is not affiliated with an organization, we will still gladly accept submissions if the film’s thematic value fits with the Lifescapes objectives.
The organizing committee reserves the right to rule on cases not foreseen by these regulations. Participation in Lifescapes implies acceptance of the rules and regulations by producers and agents.
There are no entry fees and all submissions are free.
ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS
- Must have English sub-titles if the film is not in English.
- In an effort to be inclusive of Thai attendees, films with Thai sub-titles will be appreciated (but is not required)
- Must have been completed since 2005
- Film Duration: 30 minutes to 2 hours; special consideration may be granted for films just under the minimum 30 minute duration requirement
- Must focus on at least one of the five mainland Southeast Asian countries (Cambodia, Lao, Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam)
- Must fit in with the Project Objectives as stated above
- Must encompass the overarching theme of the project as stated in the Project Description above
SUBMISSION FORMATS
To be considered, the selection committee will only accept DVDs of the complete film. We cannot accept trailers for selection purposes.
The selection committee asks that all burned DVDs be tested on several players prior to submission. If the selection committee cannot pre-screen the DVD, we will unfortunately be unable to include it in the selection process. The submitted film must be the version to be screened at the festival should it be selected.
DVDs must be labeled with the following:
- Title
- Year
- Production company address, email address, and telephone number
- Director’s name, mailing address, email address, and telephone number
- Running Time (in minutes)
- Website (if applicable)
Submissions must also include the following:
- A completed and signed Submission and Agreement Form
- In a separate document, a brief synopsis of the film and region(s) of focus and a detailed description of the overall theme(s) of the film.
- If you are affiliated with a particular non-governmental, civil-society, media, or human rights organization, please provide the name of the organization, main contact person, mailing address, email address, telephone number, and website.
Submitted DVDs will not be returned and will remain property of Payap University. The organizing committee ensures that submitted work will not be distributed.
SCHEDULING
If your film has been selected and included in the program schedule, it cannot be withdrawn. Film schedules will be determined by the organizing committee and could be screened up to two times during the program. The date, time, and location of film screenings will be at the discretion of the organizing committee and will be announced closer to the festival dates.
SHIPPING ADDRESS
Please mail all submissions to:
Jessica Loh
Payap University - Mae Khao Campus
South East Asian Institute of Global Studies
Pentecost Building, Room 115
Chiang Mai 50000
Thailand
All mailed submissions must arrive to Payap University by 30 November 2010 .
NOTE: For Foreign Filmmakers sending submissions from outside of Thailand, on the customs form, please write “No Commercial Value; Cultural Purpose Only.”
For inquiries, please contact lifescapes@seaigs.org
More information here.
