From the Thailand Film Office Department of Tourism 13th October 2015

Thailand International Film Destination Festival

to return for its fourth occasion in 2016

The Thailand Film Office announces that the Thailand International Film Destination Festival will return in 2016.

The festival is the only film festival in the world dedicated to celebrating the work of the local production services industry. Films screened in the festival must have involved filming in Thailand.

Also returning as a part of TIFDF2016 is the Amazing Thailand Film Challenge. Selected on the basis of project submissions, young film-makers from all over the world are invited to Thailand to make a short film in seven days in different regions across the Kingdom. They are provided with flights, accommodation, local support, and a budget.

Ubolwan Sucharitakul, director of the Thailand Film Office explained the value of the festival:

“The festival has a number of aims. First and foremost it promotes Thailand as a film destination. Through the film screenings, we showcase the high level of skill and production value that can be found in Thailand. Through the Amazing Thailand Film Challenge we explore how the different regions of Thailand offer a diversity of locations, cultures and creative inspiration.

2016 will be an important year for the Thailand Film Office. We hope to build on the success of 2015, which is on target to show a record number of incoming productions. We will be preparing for the launch of Thailand’s first incentive program in 2017, and the Thailand International Film Destination Festival will provide a perfect launchpad to our year’s activities.

In past years, the festival has successfully explored the diversity of productions which benefit from shooting in Thailand. The program has included both commercial and art-house films, from many different countries, and we have been fortunate that many of the international directors and stars have returned to Thailand to screen their films and to be re-united with the teams that helped realize their vision. Feedback forms last year showed an audience satisfaction rating of over 98%. We look forward to an exciting and inspiring film program in 2016.

The film students of today are tomorrow’s film-makers. We are extremely proud of the Amazing Thailand Film Challenge. I do not believe there is any short film competition in the world that offers young film-makers such an exciting, inspirational, and memorable experience. Last year, seventy-two young film-makers from 15 countries were selected for the competition. There was a very high level of quality in the films produced in the challenge, and we hope that these films are not only a great showcase of Thailand’s locations and rich culture, but also a valuable part of the film-makers’ portfolios.

The Awards Ceremony is a valuable component of the festival, and offers a chance to show appreciation for the talents and skills of Thailand’s production services industry, which are a vital part of what attracts international productions.

Also in 2016, we plan to increase the number of invited international industry guests. The festival offers a great opportunity to attract producers, location executives and industry decision-makers, and to show them the world-class facilities and infrastructure that are available in Thailand.

The Thailand International Film Destination Festival has grown and evolved in the last three years, and has become a key event in the annual calendar for the local production services industry. We are proud to announce its return in 2016.”