Hot Topics:

Bangkok fest set for September

Event will focus on Asian movies

Bangkok festival gets green light

Couple floats film festival idea

Toronto fest sets documentaries

Locarno adds two titles to lineup

Venice Film Festival announces slate

MTV sets 'Avatar' webcast(3342 views)

Steven Seagal Lawman(2620 views)

Christopher Eccleston plays Lennon(2594 views)

PGA announces TV noms(2419 views)

McConaughey�s �Rooster� at Fox(2229 views)

Paramount lands 'Area 51'(2165 views)

BANGKOK -- The Bangkok Film Festival got an official greenlight Tuesday when the Tourism Authority of Thailand and Federation of National Film Assn. of Thailand announced fest dates of Sept. 23-30 at a news conference.

Previous editions of the fest have been battered by date changes, industry boycotts and a corruption scandal.

Jaruek Kaljaruek, president of the Federation of National Film Assns. of Thailand and also the head of Kantana Group, will serve as fest director. Youngyooth Thonkongtoon, president of the Thai Directors Assn., will be artistic director. The programming team is headed by Pimpaka Towira.

"We will put a focus on Asian movies, plus world-class cinema from everywhere else," said Thonkongtoon. "The main competition will be first or second films from up-and-coming directors, but we will find good films from elsewhere to showcase to the audience, too."

In all, some 80 films will unspool, according to Towira.

"What makes this year's festival special is that it is the result of unprecedented cooperation and collaboration between some of the keenest minds of the film industry," said Juthapon Rerngronasa, deputy governor for marketing communications for the tourism authority.