A-Wang (So It Be)
Already confirmed to be screening in Bangkok later this month is this documentary film by mass-turned-indie director Kongdej Jaturanrasamee, known for his thought-provoking projects like P-047 (2011) and Tang Wong (2013). Like Tang Wong, A-Wang [Bali for "so it is"] is an experimental film focusing on Thai beliefs, namely Buddhism. The film follows the contrasting fortunes of two kids, 7-year-old Thai-American William and 11-year-old hill tribe boy Bundit. William joins a reality TV project to become a monk over summer and afterwards keeps asking to go back, saying he would like to stay a monk for the rest of his life. Bundit, meanwhile, was forced by his family to become a monk in Sra Kaew province in the belief he’ll enjoy a better life that way.    

Limited screening at House RCA at the end of October (tentatively Oct 25-28).

The Master
This film produced by one of Bangkok's hottest film makers of the moment, Nawapol Thamrongrattanarit (36 and Mary is Happy, Mary is Happy) has been selected as part of the Asian Project Market at this year’s Busan International Film Festival. Another documentary, it takes a look at the global problem of piracy by telling the story of the legendary Mr. Van, a bootleg video vendor who sold arthouse flicks from around the world to Thai audiences. He only sold films that had no distributor in Thailand. The film's tagline is: “Before Bittorrent we have him." The documentary will explore piracy's direct harm to film directors, as well as the positive influence illegal channels have on independent film-makers.

Currently under production, stay tuned for updates.

Samui Song
Pen-Ek Ratanaruang has been awfully since producing Headshot back in 2011. There was last year's political documentary Paradoxocracy, but we're looking forward to seeing the noir master return to popular territory. His latest project Samui Song has also been selected as part of the Asian Project Market at this year’s Busan International Film Festival. It's the story of a lady, played by Ploy Cherman (who worked with Pen-Ek on his classic Last Life in the Universe, 2003), whose husband becomes a cult devotee who must deal with "the holy one," played by Vithaya Pansringam (Only God Forgives).

Currently under financing, stay tuned for updates.

The Two Kings
Also selected in the Asian Project Market at Busan, The Two Kings is the latest project by veteran Bangkok director Nonzee Nimibutr, of 2499 Antapan Krong Muang (original version in 1997), Namg Nak (1999) and Ok Baytong (2003) fame. The film will follow an Elvis impersonator who was spotted at a transsexual cabaret club and asked to enter a competition in Las Vegas. The Thai-American production will be co-produced by Henry Ko and Sandra Gaviria.  

Undergoing script development and pre-production, stay tuned for updates.