Future directors take part in student film festival

The final round of the contest will be a part of the 65th National Arts and Handicrafts Fair, which will run from January 29 to 31.
A total of 48 teams, all of which are winners from their regions, have entered the final round.
Team members have also had the chance to attend a three-day workshop on short films in mid-January. During the workshop, 336 students learned directly from experts in the field such as famous directors Nonzee Nimitbutr and Prachya Pinkaew.
“The workshop was so good,” said Prathumthong Vilai, a senior secondary student at the Charoen-silpsuksaphokhamnusorn School in Sakhon Nakhon province.
She said that after attending the workshop, her team had decided to revise the script of its short film.
Teaching script writing at the workshop was Pattana Chirawong, who is on the board of the Thai Film Directors Association.
“We have seen during the workshop that our young participants are so happy about what they do. They also have the potential to become professional film directors in the future,” Pattana said.
Prathumthong said she had been interested in filmmaking since she was in Mayathom 1. Over the past few years, she has also been keen to join various short-film contests under the “Brain Group” banner.
The Brain Group has already made its name among filmmaking students.
In 2013, their short film “Circle” won an honorary-mention award from an Asian-level contest in Japan.
Prathumthong said she had attended short-film workshops prepared by the Office of Basic Education Commission (Obec) and its partners several times before.
She has also credited these workshops for her group’s ability to claim international recognition.
Jirinya Suwan-in, a student from Janokrong School in Phitsanulok, said the workshop had highlighted the essence of filmmaking.
“I’ve learnt a lot from the training,” she said.
Jarupa Sangkharom, who heads Obec’s Information Technology for Basic Education, said participants in the recent workshop were winners from four regions.
“The workshop aims to enhance their skills in learning-material production,” she said.
Prathumthong said after her group produced the short film for the national competition, it would also produce a film about Sakhon Nakhon province.
“It will be about ways of life, traditions, and beliefs of locals,” she said.